Studies on the Antiulcer Activity of the Chloroform Fraction ofCalotropis procera Root Extract

Abstract

Calotropis procera has been widely used in the Indian traditional medicinal system for the treatment of a variety of disease conditions. Earlier studies in our laboratory revealed that the chloroform fraction of C. procera root extract possesses significant analgesic, antipyretic and antiinflammatory activity. Further studies also revealed that, unlike the NSAIDs, C. procera simultaneously possesses significant antiulcer activity. It is well established that the NSAIDs are potentially ulcerogenic and they exert their antiinflammatory activity following inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis (owing to the blockade of the cyclooxygenase pathway), thereby leading to overproduction of leukotrienes and other related products of arachidonic acid metabolism which in turn have potential ulcerogenic activity. We accordingly attempted to evaluate the antiulcer activity of C. procera using different in vivo ulcer models. The results of the present study revealed that C. procera significantly inhibited aspirin, reserpine, absolute alcohol and serotonin-induced gastric ulcerations in rats. The same also protected the gastric mucosa from aspirin-induced ulceration in pyloric-ligated rats and significant protection was observed in histamine-induced duodenal ulcers in guinea-pigs. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.