Correlation of endoscopic disease severity with pediatric ulcerative colitis activity index score in children and young adults with ulcerative colitis

To investigate of pediatric ulcerative colitis activity index (PUCAI) in ulcerative colitis correlate with mucosal inflammation and endoscopic assessment of disease activity (Mayo endoscopic score).METHODSWe reviewed charts from ulcerative colitis patients who had undergone both colonoscopy over 3 years. Clinical assessment of disease severity within 35 d (either before or after) the colonoscopy were included. Patients were excluded if they had significant therapeutic interventions (such as the start of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents) between the colonoscopy and the clinical assessment. Mayo endoscopic score of the rectum and sigmoid were done by two gastroenterologists. Inter-observer variability in Mayo score was assessed.RESULTSWe identified 99 patients (53% female, 74% pancolitis) that met inclusion criteria. The indications for colonoscopy included ongoing disease activity (62%), consideration of medication change (10%), assessment of medication efficacy (14%), and cancer screening (14%). Based on PUCAI scores, 33% of patients were in remission, 39% had mild disease, 23% had moderate disease, and 4% had severe disease. There was “moderate-substantial” agreement between the two reviewers in assessing rectal Mayo scores (kappa = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.41-0.68).CONCLUSIONEndoscopic disease severity (Mayo score) assessed by reviewing photographs of pediatric colonoscopy has moderate inter-rater reliability, and agreement was less robust in assessing patients with mild disease activity. Endoscopic disease severity generally correlates with clinical disease severity as measured by PUCAI score. However, children with inflamed colons can have significant variation in their reported clinical symptoms. Thus, assessment of both clinical symptoms and endoscopic disease severity may be required in future clinical studies.

Use of the ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity and Mayo endoscopic score for predicting the therapeutic effect of mesalazine in patients with ulcerative colitis

Objective:The ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity(UCEIS)and the Mayo endoscopic score(MES)are developed as objective methods of evaluating endoscopic severity in patients with ulcerative colitis(UC).The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the UCEIS and MES in predicting the patient's response to mesalazine.Methods:Consecutive patients with UC who had undergone colonoscopy within 1 month before starting mesalazine between October 2011 and July 2016 were retrospectively collected at the Department of Gastroenterology,Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital,Zhejiang University School of Medicine.The median follow-up was 81 months,and all the data were analyzed in January 2021.The primary outcome was the need for step-up treatment,which included the use of corticosteroids,immunomodulatory,or surgery during admission and follow-up.Data were analyzed using the c2 or Fisher exact test,Spearman test,t-test,and ManneWhitney U test.Results:Totally,65 patients were enrolled,of whom 12(18.5%)needed step-up treatment due to nonresponse to mesalazine.The UCEIS score,MES,and the ulcerative colitis disease activity index(UCDAI)score were significantly higher in patients who had nonresponse to mesalazine(UCEIS score:6.92±0.69 vs.4.45±1.17,p<0.001;MES:2.67±0.49 vs.2.15±0.69,p=0.024;UCDAI score:9.33±1.87 vs.6.70±2.38,p=0.002).In the multivariate analysis,the UCEIS score(OR=25.65,95%CI:3.048 e45.985,p=0.003),UCDAI score(OR=1.605,95%CI:1.144e2.254,p=0.006),and C-reactive protein level(OR=1.056,95%CI:1.006e1.108,p=0.026)were independent risk factors of nonresponse.The area under the ROC curve of UCEIS was 0.95,with a sensitivity of 100%and specificity of 84.6%,a cut-off value of 6,which outperformed the MES with an area under the ROC curve of 0.70.When the UCEIS score≥6,60%of patients eventually needed step-up treatment.Conclusions:The UCEIS is a useful instrument for predicting the therapeutic effect in patients with UC treated with mesalazine.The high probability of mesalazine treatment failure and benefits of other therapies should be discussed in patients with baseline UCEIS score≥6.

Effects of pre-moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) on heat shock protein 70 expression in rats with gastric mucosal lesions after neurotomy

Studies have shown that pre-moxibustion protects the gastric mucosa by up-regulating the expression of heat shock protein 70. However, the signaling pathway underlying this effect remains unclear. Rats were intragastrically administered absolute alcohol, causing obvious lesion of the gastric mucosa. Following pre-moxibustion at Zusanfi （ST36） for 8 days, the ulcer index decreased to different degrees. The results of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting showed significant upregulation of heat shock protein 70 expression in the gastric mucosa and serum. None out of transection of the spinal cord, damage to the nucleus of the solitary tract, neurotomy of the vagal nerve and neurotomy of the common peroneal nerve affected the decrease in ulcer index or the increase in heat shock protein 70 expression in serum after pre-moxibustion at Zusanfi, and heat shock protein 70 expression was obviously decreased in the gastric mucosa. These findings suggest that pre-moxibustion at Zusanfi can protect the gastric mucosa against lesioning, and that the mechanism underlying this effect involves its induction of heat shock protein 70 expression. Neural pathways participate in the regulatory effects of moxibustion on heat shock protein 70 expression in the gastric mucosa.

Clinical value of the Toronto inflammatory bowel disease global endoscopic reporting score in ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND Endoscopic evaluation in diagnosing and managing ulcerative colitis(UC)is becoming increasingly important.Several endoscopic scoring systems have been established,including the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity(UCEIS)score and Mayo Endoscopic Subscore(MES).Furthermore,the Toronto Inflammatory Bowel Disease Global Endoscopic Reporting(TIGER)score for UC has recently been proposed;however,its clinical value remains unclear.AIM To investigate the clinical value of the TIGER score in UC by comparing it with the UCEIS score and MES.METHODS This retrospective study included 166 patients with UC who underwent total colonoscopy between January 2017 and March 2023 at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University(Qingdao,China).We retrospectively analysed endoscopic scores,laboratory and clinical data,treatment,and readmissions within 1 year.Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient,receiver operating characteristic curve,and univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows,version 26.0(IBM Corp.,Armonk,NY,United States)and GraphPad Prism version 9.0.0 for Windows(GraphPad Software,Boston,Massachusetts,United States).RESULTS The TIGER score significantly correlated with the UCEIS score and MES(r=0.721,0.626,both P<0.001),showed good differentiating values for clinical severity among mild,moderate,and severe UC[8(4-112.75)vs 210(109–219)vs 328(219–426),all P<0.001],and exhibited predictive value in diagnosing patients with severe UC[area under the curve(AUC)=0.897,P<0.001].Additionally,the TIGER(r=0.639,0,551,0.488,0.376,all P<0.001)and UCEIS scores(r=0.622,0,540,0.494,and 0.375,all P<0.001)showed stronger correlations with laboratory and clinical parameters,including C-reactive protein,erythrocyte sedimentation rate,length of hospitalisation,and hospitalisation costs,than MES(r=0.509,0,351,0.339,and 0.270,all P<0.001).The TIGER score showed the best predictability for patients'recent advanced treatment,including systemic corticosteroids,biologics,or immunomodulators(AUC=0.848,P<0.001)and 1-year readmission(AUC=0.700,P<0.001)compared with the UCEIS score(AUC=0.762,P<0.001;0.627,P<0.05)and MES(AUC=0.684,P<0.001;0.578,P=0.132).Furthermore,a TIGER score of≥317 was identified as an independent risk factor for advanced UC treatment(P=0.011).CONCLUSION The TIGER score may be superior to the UCIES score and MES in improving the accuracy of clinical disease severity assessment,guiding therapeutic decision-making,and predicting short-term prognosis.

Comparison of fecal calprotectin levels and endoscopic scores for predicting relapse in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission

BACKGROUND Although the usefulness of endoscopic scores,such as the Mayo Endoscopic Subscore(MES),Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity(UCEIS),and Ulcerative Colitis Colonoscopic Index of Severity(UCCIS),and biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin(FC)for predicting relapse in ulcerative colitis(UC)has been reported,few studies have included endoscopic scores for evaluating the entire colon.AIM To compare the usefulness of FC value and MES,UCEIS,and UCCIS for predicting relapse in patients with UC in clinical remission.METHODS In total,75 patients with UC in clinical and endoscopic remission who visited our institution between February 2019 and March 2022 were enrolled.The diagnosis of UC was confirmed based on the clinical presentation,endoscopic findings,and histology,according to the current established criteria for UC.Fecal samples were collected the day before or after the colonoscopy for measurement of FC.Endoscopic evaluations were performed using MES,UCEIS,and UCCIS.The primary outcome measure of this study was the assessment of the association between relapse within 12 mo and MES,UCEIS,UCCIS,and FC.The secondary outcome was the comparison between endoscopic scores and biomarkers in en-rolled patients with UC with mucosal healing.RESULTSFC and UCCIS showed a significant correlation with UCEIS (r = 0.537, P < 0.001 and r = 0.957, P < 0.001, respectively).Receiver-operating characteristic analysis for predicting MES 0 showed that the area under the curve ofUCCIS was significantly higher than that of FC (P < 0.01). During the 1-year observation period, 18 (24%) patientsexperienced a relapse, and both the FC and UCCIS of the relapse group were significantly higher than that of theremission group. The cut-off values for predicting relapse were set at FC = 323 mg/kg and UCCIS = 10.2. The areaunder the curve of the receiver-operating characteristic analysis for predicting relapse did not show a significantdifference between FC and UCCIS. The accuracy of the endoscopic scores and biomarkers in predicting relapse was86.7% for UCCIS, 85.3% for UCEIS, 76.0% for FC, and 73.3% for MES.CONCLUSIONThe three endoscopic scores and FC may predict UC relapse during clinical remission. Among these scores, UCEISmay be the most useful in terms of ease of evaluation and accuracy.

Low dose oral curcumin is not effective in induction of remission in mild to moderate ulcerative colitis: Results from a randomized double blind placebo controlled trial

AIM To evaluate the role of oral curcumin in inducing clinical remission in patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis(UC).METHODS A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial comparing the remission inducing effect of oral curcumin and mesalamine 2.4 g with placebo and mesalamine 2.4 g in patients of ulcerative colitis with mild to moderate severity was conducted from January 2003 to March 2005. The included patients received 1 capsule thrice a day of placebo or curcumin(150 mg) for 8 wk. Patients were evaluated clinically and endoscopically at 0,4 and 8 wk. The primary outcome was clinical remission at 8 wk and secondary outcomes were clinical response, mucosal healing and treatment failure at 8 wk. The primary analysis was intention to treat worst case scenario(ITT-WCS).RESULTS Of 300 patients with UC, 62 patients(curcumin: 29, placebo: 33) fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were randomized at baseline. Of these, 21 patients did not complete the trial, 41 patients(curcumin: 16, placebo: 25) finally completed 8 wk. There was no significant difference in rates of clinical remission(31.3% vs 27.3%, P = 0.75), clinical response(20.7% vs 36.4%, P = 0.18), mucosal healing(34.5% vs 30.3%, P = 0.72), and treatment failure(25% vs 18.5%, P = 0.59) between curcumin and placebo at 8 wk.CONCLUSION Low dose oral curcumin at a dose of 450 mg/d was ineffective in inducing remission in mild to moderate cases of UC.

Endoscopic ultrasonography in the evaluation of condition and prognosis of ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis(UC)is usually diagnosed through histopathology,enteroscopy,clinical symptoms,and physical findings;however,it is difficult to accurately evaluate disease severity.AIM To investigate the value of endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS)in the evaluation of the severity and prognosis of UC.METHODS Patients with UC who were seen in our hospital from March 2019 to December 2020 were eligible,and disease severity was evaluated according to the modified Truelove and Witts and Mayo scores.We performed EUS,calculated the UC endoscopic index of severity(UCEIS)and EUS-UC scores,and administered appropriate treatment.The UCEIS and EUS-UC scores of patients were assessed in relation to disease severity,and the correlations between UCEIS and EUS-UC scores and disease severity was also analyzed.The UCEIS and EUS-UC scores before and after treatment were also compared.RESULTS A total of 79 patients were included in this study.According to the Mayo Index,23,32,and 24 patients had mild,moderate and severe UC,respectively.The UCEIS and EUS-UC scores were higher in moderate cases(4.98±1.04 and 5.01±0.99,respectively)than in mild cases(1.56±0.82 and 1.64±0.91,respectively,P<0.05).Furthermore,the UCEIS and EUS-UC scores(7.31±1.10 and 7.59±1.02,respectively)were higher in severe cases than in moderate cases(P<0.05).According to the modified Truelove and Witts scores,21,36,and 22 patients were classified as having mild,moderate and severe disease,respectively.The UCEIS and EUS-UC scores were significantly higher in moderate disease(4.79±1.11 and 4.96±1.23,respectively)than in mild disease(1.71±0.78 and 1.69±0.88,respectively,P<0.05).Additionally,the UCEIS and EUS-UC scores in severe disease(7.68±1.22 and 7.81±0.90,respectively)were significantly higher than in moderate disease(P<0.05).The UCEIS and EUSUC scores were significantly and positively correlated with disease severity according to the modified Truelove and Witts score and Mayo score(P<0.05).The UCEIS and EUS-UC scores after 2 mo of treatment(3.88±0.95 and 4.01±1.14,respectively)and after 6 mo of treatment(1.59±0.63 and 1.64±0.59,respectively)were lower than the respective scores before treatment(5.93±1.79 and 6.04±2.01)(P<0.05).CONCLUSION EUS can clarify the status of UC and accurately evaluate the treatment response,providing an objective basis for formulation and adjustment of the treatment plan.

Remission endpoints in ulcerative colitis: A systematic review

AIM To summarize the current consensus on the defnition of remission and the endpoints employed in clinical trials.METHODSA bibliogragraphic search was performed from 1946 to 2016 sing online databases （National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Central Medline, OVID SP MEDLINE, OVID EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Conference Abstracts） with key words： （“ulcerative colitis”） AND （“ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity” OR “UCEIS”） AND （“remission”） as well as （“ulcerative colitis”） AND （“ulcerative colitis disease activity index”） OR “UCDAI” OR “UC disease activity index” OR “Sutherland index”） AND （“remission”）.RESULTSThe search returned 37 and 116 articles for the UCEIS and UCDAI respectively. For the UCEIS, 12 articles were cited in the final analysis of which 9 validation studies have been identified. Despite the UCEIS has been more extensively validated in all three aspects （validity, responsiveness and reliability）, it has been little employed to monitor disease in randomised clinical trials. For the UCDAI, 37 articles were consider-ed for the final analysis. Although the UCDAI is only partially validated, 29 randomised clinical trials were acknowledged to use the UCDAI to determine endpoints and disease remission, though no clear protocol was identifed.CONCLUSIONAlthough the UCEIS has been more widely validated than the UCDAI, it has not been refected in the moni-toring of disease activity in clinical trials. Conversely, the UCDAI has been used in numerous large clinical trials to defne their endpoints and disease remission, however, it is challenging to determine the best possible outcomes due to a lack of homogeneity of the clinical trial protocols. Before determining a gold standard index, international agreement on remission is urgently needed to advance patient care.

Progress of ulcerative colitis patients during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND We have previously demonstrated that the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic caused exacerbations in ulcerative colitis(UC)patients,probably through psychological and physical stress.However,successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic continuously followed the first.The effects of this chronic stress on the disease condition in UC patients are of interest.AIM To clarify the effect of chronic stress from COVID-19 on disease condition in patients aggravated after the first wave.METHODS Our previous study investigated 289 consecutive UC outpatients treated in one center during March and April 2020,the period of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.In this study,an identical group of 289 UC patients was evaluated using UC-disease activity index(UC-DAI),endoscopic mucosal appearance score,and Matts pathological grade scoring.RESULTS Of the 289 UC patients included in the study in 2020,10 patients dropped out as of 2021 and another 11 patients dropped out as of 2022,making three groups for 2020,2021 and 2022.No significant differences in characteristics were found among the three groups.UC-DAI scores had aggravated during the period of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic,but significantly recovered in 2021 and remained stable in 2022.Matts grade scores significantly recovered in 2021 from those in 2020 and remained stable in 2022.CONCLUSION Disease activity of UC patients recovered in 2021 and remained stable in 2022,aggravated by the stress of the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020 despite persistence of the pandemic.

Comparing the clinical application values of the Degree of Ulcerative Colitis Burden of Luminal Inflammation(DUBLIN)score and Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity(UCEIS)in patients with ulcerative colitis

Background:The significance of endoscopic evaluation in the diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis(UC)has been widely recognized.Over the years,scholars have established several endoscopic scores.Herein,we assessed the clinical application value of the Mayo Endoscopic Subscore(Mayo ES),the Degree of Ulcerative Colitis Burden of Luminal Inflammation(DUBLIN)score,and the Ulcerative Colitis Endoscopic Index of Severity(UCEIS)score in UC patients,by comparing their correlation with disease activity and their predictive potential for treatment response and clinical outcomes.Methods:UC patients hospitalized from September 2015 to September 2019 were retrospectively analysed.We employed Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to assess the linear association of the assessed endoscopic scores with the clinical parameters.The receiver-operating characteristic curve was applied to evaluate the predictive capabilities of the endoscopic scores for treatment escalation and 1-year readmission.Results:A total of 178 patients were enrolled;most of them(82%)suffered moderate or severe colitis.Among them,48(27%)patients received treatment escalation and 59(33%)were readmitted within 1 year.The DUBLIN and UCEIS scores demonstrated higher correlations with clinical parameters than the Mayo ES.The DUBLIN scores significantly differed between patients with mild,moderate,and severe colitis(all P<0.001).The UCEIS scores demonstrated the best predictabilities for treatment escalation and 1-year readmission with an area under the curve of 0.88 and 0.75,respectively.Compared to the UCEIS and DUBLIN scores,the predictive capabilities of the Mayo ES for treatment escalation(both P<0.001)and 1-year readmission(P<0.001 and P紏0.002,respectively)were lower.The UCEIS scores exhibited a significant difference between the steroid-responsive group and the steroid-dependent or steroid-refractory group(both P<0.001),while no significant differences in the Mayo ES and DUBLIN scores were found among the three groups(both P>0.05).Conclusion:This study demonstrates that both the DUBLIN and UCEIS scores outperform the Mayo ES in assessing disease severity and predicting treatment response and clinical outcomes in UC patients.

Cut-off value of ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity(UCEIS)score for predicting the need for pouch construction in ulcerative colitis:results of a multicenter study with long-term follow-up

Background Total proctocolectomy with ileal pouch–anal anastomosis(IPAA)was the first choice for the surgical treatment of the ulcerative colitis(UC)patients.The data on the predictive value of the ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity(UCEIS)for the need for IPAA in UC patients is scarce.We aimed to establish the UCEIS cut-off value to further analyse whether the UCEIS cut-off was suitable for predicting the need for IPAA in UC patients.Methods The clinical data of UC patients from June 1986 to March 2020 at our institute were retrospectively assessed.The UCEIS scores recorded at the time of the first colonoscopy after hospitalization were used in the study.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the UCEIS cut-off value for predicting the need for IPAA.Results A total of 283 UC patients were included in the study,with a median UCEIS of 4.During a median follow-up of 13 years,80 patients(28.3%)received surgery invention,among whom 75(93.8%)underwent IPAA surgery and 5(6.2%)received subtotal colectomy with permanent ostomy.A UCEIS cut-off of 6 had the most significant area under the curve of 0.769 for predicting the need for IPAA(P<0.001),with a sensitivity of 72.0%and specificity of 81.8%.UCEIS≥6 was an independent predictive factor for the need for IPAA(P<0.001)and malignant transformation(P=0.010).Patients with UCEIS≥6 had a significantly shorter IPAA-free survival time than those with UCEIS<6(P<0.001).Conclusions UCEIS≥6 may be a threshold value for decision-making for IPAA and should be recommended for UC patients for reducing the incidence of malignant transformation.

Efficacy of extract from Ononis spinosa L.on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of the extract from Ononis spinosa L.(O.spinosa)on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats.METHODS:Phytochemical constituents of the extract from O.spinosa were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Rats were classified into 4 equal groups;ulcer control received oral vehicle;positive control was administered with 40 mg/kg esomeprazole(standard drug)and 2 groups received 0.5 and 1 g/kg of O.spinosa extract,respectively.Gastric ulcer was induced by absolute ethanol(5 mL/kg)orally to all groups.Measurement of ulcer index,cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2)expression and determination of total glutathione level in gastric mucosa were performed.RESULTS:Oral administration of the extract from O.spinosa at doses 0.5 and 1 g/kg lowered the ulcer indices by 80.39%and 98.71%,respectively,compared to 67.89%by esomeprazole(40 mg/kg).Histologically,treatment with the extract decreased necrosis and hemorrhage in mucosa and edema and infiltration by inflammatory cells in submucosa.Using immunohistochemical technique,it was demonstrated that COX-2 expression increased in mucosa of animals treated with the extract as well as by esomeprazole.O.spinosa and esomeprazole increased total glutathione level in the stomach compared to control.Ononin was the major compound of the extract followed by trifolirhizin,myricitrin,gentisic acid,cycloartenol and quercetin.CONCLUSION:The present study demonstrated that the extract from O.spinosa was able to protect gastric mucosa from ethanol injury by at least 2 mechanisms,namely the induction of COX-2 and decreasing oxidative stress in the stomach.

Effect of Mexican Tea Herb and Pilular Adina Herb on Concrescence of Gastric Mucosa in Experimental Gastric Ulcer Rats

Objective： To study the effect and mechanism of mexican tea herb and pilular adina herb （abbreviated to MP） on concrescence of gastric mucosa in experimental gastric ulcer rats by observing the changes of epidermal growth factor （EGF）, nitrogen monoxidum （NO） and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）. Methods： The rat ulcer model was established by 100% glacial acetic injection into the subserosa. The ulcer index （UI） was measured by sliding caliper. The levels of NO and EGF in tissue and serum were measured by the nitrate reductase method and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The expression of EGFR in the mucosa around the ulcer was detected by the immunohistochemical assay and microimage analysis system. Results： （1） Compared with the model group, UI of MP groups （10, 15 and 20 mg·kg^-1·d^-1） and ranitidine group was lower （P〈0.05 or P〈0.01）, the levels of NO and EGF in the tissue and serum were higher （P〈0.05）, the thickness of regenerated mucous membrane increased, and the width loss of lamina muscularis mucosa decreased （all P〈0.05）. （2） The expression of EGFR is weakly positive in gastric mucosa cells in the normal group, mainly in the cytoplasm and cytomembrane. In the model group, the expression of EGFR was mainly in epithelial cells in cervical part and basilar part of gastric gland around the ulcer margin, and the number of cells with EGFR weakly positive expression was more than that in the normal group. Compared with that in the normal and model groups, the number of cells with EGFR positive in MP groups and ranitidine group increased （all P〈0.05）, with weakly positive expression. Conclusion： MP can protect gastric mucosa, cure gastric ulcer, restrain the secretion of gastric acid, and boost multiplication, differentiation, migration and repair of the endothelial cell by promoting the secretion of NO and EGF, and increasing the expression of EGFR of gastric mucosa epithelial cells.

源自印度药用植物的一种抗溃疡复方制剂(英文)

AIM: The present study was aimed at evaluating the antiulcer activity of the polyherbal formulation (PHF) containing the leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera, Raphinus sativus, and Amaranthus tricolor in rats. METHODS: The antiulcer activity of the polyherbal formulation (PHF) was evaluated using different models of gastric ulcers: ethanol-induced, indomethacin-induced and ischemia reperfusion-induced gastric ulcers. Efficacy was assessed by determining the ulcer index. RESULTS: Administration of the polyherbal formulation (150mg·kg-1 , p.o.) offered significant protection against indomethacin-induced, ethanol-induced, and ischemic reperfusion-induced ulcer models when compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: PHF, containing leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera, Raphinus sativus, and Amaranthus tricolor, was found to possess antiulcer properties in three experimental animal models of gastric ulcers, and these findings suggest that the significant gastroprotective activity could be mediated by its antioxidant activity.