Aqueous suspension of anise “Pimpinella anisum” protects rats against chemically induced gastric ulcers

AIM: To substantiate the claims of Unani and Arabian traditional medicine practitioners on the gastroprotective potential effect of a popular spice anise, "Pimpinella anisum L." on experimentally-induced gastric ulceration and secretion in rats. METHODS: Acute gastric ulceration in rats was produced by various noxious chemicals including 80% ethanol, 0.2 mol/L NaOH, 25% NaCl and indomethacin. Anti-secretory studies were undertaken using pylorus- ligated Shay rat technique. Levels of gastric non-protein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) and wall mucus were estimated and gastric tissue was also examined histologically. Anise aqueous suspension was used in two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) in all experiments. RESULTS: Anise significantly inhibited gastric mu- cosal damage induced by necrotizing agents and indomethacin. The anti-ulcer effect was further confirmed histologically. In pylorus-ligated Shay rats, anise suspension significantly reduced the basal gastric acid secretion, acidity and completely inhibited the rumenal ulceration. On the other hand, the suspension significantly replenished ethanol-induced depleted levels of gastric mucosal NP-SH and gastric wall mucus concentration. CONCLUSION: Anise aqueous suspension possesses significant cytoprotective and anti-ulcer activities against experimentally-induced gastric lesions. The anti-ulcer effect of anise is possibly prostaglandin-mediated and/orthrough its anti-secretory and antioxidative properties.

Gastroprotective effect of aqueous stem bark extract of Ziziphus jujuba L.against HCl/Ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluated the gastroprotective effects of standardized aqueous extract of Ziziphus jujuba(Z. jujuba) stem bark against acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcers as well as anti helicobacter pylori activity of the plant extract in rats.METHODS: Five groups of rats were orally pre-treated with normal saline(0.9%) as ulcer group, 150 mg/kg of ranitidine as positive control group, 100, 200 and 400 mg of standardized extract solution as the experimental groups. Two hours later, acidified ethanol solution was given by gavages in order to induce of gastric ulcer. The antibacterial effect of extract against clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) was evaluated through disc diffusion test.RESULTS: The ulcer group exhibited significantly severe mucosal injury as compared with ranitidine or extract group which shows significant protective action against gastric mucosal injury. The extract showed no effect on H. pylori.CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that Z.jujuba stem bark extract had a potential antiulcer activity which might be due to its protective activity, providing a direct, protective effect on the gastric mucosa. Our study showed that anti-H. pylori activity was not among gastroprotective mechanism of Z. jujuba. Further pre-clinical and clinical investigations for evaluating natural active agents and efficacy of this plant are recommended.