Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Peltophorum Pterocarpum.

BACKGROUND

Peltophorum pterocarpum is a rich source for phenols and the wood, leaves, and flowers of the plant are used as medicinal agents in traditional medicine. Peptic ulcer is a major disease of gastrointestinal tract, affecting nearly 40 lac people each year worldwide and affects 10% of world population with different aetiologies. Peltophorum pterocarpum consists of phenols and flavonoids, tannins which have potential antioxidant and cytoprotective activity.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the antiulcer activity of methanolic extract of the leaves of Peltophorum pterocarpum (MEPP) on albino rats.

METHODS

The rats were divided into four groups as control, standard, test 1 (extract: 100 mg/kg) and test 2 (extract: 200 mg/kg) with six rats in each group. Gastric lesions were induced by oral administration of indomethacin (20 mg/kg) followed by pylorus ligation. Standard group of animals were treated with misoprostol and test group of animals were treated with MEPP at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg. To determine the antiulcer activity of extract, mean ulcer index, free acidity and total acidity were evaluated.

RESULTS

Ulcer index was significantly decreased at p<0.01 in MEPP treated groups as compared to control group. Total and free acidity was significantly decreased at p<0.01 in MEPP treated groups as compared to control group. Histological analysis also supported the gastro protective effect of MEPP treated groups when compared with control groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The study revealed that MEPP exhibited potential antiulcer activity and showed dose dependent antiulcer effect.