EVALUATION OF THE ANTI-ULCEROGENIC PROPERTY OF TURMERIC RHIZOMES (Curcuma longa) ON ETHANOL- AND ASPIRIN-INDUCED GASTRIC ULCER IN ALBINO RATS

Abstract

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is considered as one of the common diseases in the world. Treatment of peptic ulcer with synthetic drugs such as proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has shown adverse effects, relapses or drug interactions. Medicinal plants containing active chemical constituents are useful in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Combination of ayurvedic knowledge with modern medicine can produce better antiulcer drugs of natural origin from medicinal plants with fewer side effects. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect(s) of methanolic extract of turmeric on theanti-ulcerogenic activity in albino rats usingalcohol and aspirin models. Albino rats weighing 200±20 g wereused for this study. All animals were fasted for 48 hours. The animals were divided into 11 groups of six (6) animals each. Ulcer was induced by oral administration of ethanol (5 ml/kg body weight) and aspirin (200 mg/kg body weight). Group 1 served as control which received distilled water (5 ml/kg body weight), groups 2 and 3 were administered ethanol (5 ml/kg body weight) and aspirin (200 mg/kg body weight) respectively. Groups 4, 5, 6 and 7 were pretreated with the crude extract (125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg body weight) and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) respectively and administered ethanol (5 ml/kg body weight) one hour after the pretreatment. Groups 8, 9, 10 and 11 were also pretreated with the crude extract (125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg body weight) and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) respectively and administered aspirin (200 mg/kg body weight) one hour after the pretreatment. One hour after all administrations have been made, animals were sacrificed and their stomachs excised immediately and cut open along its greater curvature to determine the extent of lesion and assays were carried out to determine the effect(s) of the administered extract on the induced ulcer. Evaluation of degree of ulceration, ulcer indices, volume, pH and acidic concentrationof gastric juice, gastric wall mucus secretion, lipid peroxidation, level of reduced glutathione and total protein concentration were all carried out using standard methods. The phytochemical screening of the methanolic extract of turmeric rhizome (Curcuma longa) showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phlobatannins, anthraquinones, steroids, terpenoids and flavonoids.The resultsshow a significant (p<0.05) increase in the ulcer indices of the group given aspirin and ethanol as compared to the control group and pre-treated groups. The gastric juice volume showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the gastric juice secretion of the ethanol-induced group as compared to the control group.A significant (p<0.05) decrease was seen in the pH value of the induced group as compared to the control group and pre-treated group. Significant (p<0.05) increase was seen in mucus concentration, GSH and total protein of the pre-treated groups (125, 250, 500 mg/kg and cimetidine 100 mg/kg) in a dose-dependent manner as compared with the induced group.Malonaldehyde (MDA) level was significantly higher in the induced group compared to the control and pre-treated groups. In conclusion, it could be inferred that turmeric rhizome could help prevent ulcer by anti-secretory, cytoprotective and antioxidant mechanisms.