Study Validates Herb's Potency To Cure Gastric Ulcer

A study conducted by Saudi Arabian researchers has confirmed that a herb called Rocket "Eruca sativa L." (EER), a member of the Brassicacae family, has potential anti-ulcer medicinal properties.

Led by Dr. Syed Rafatullah, the research team validated the gastric anti-ulcer properties of EER on experimentally-induced gastric secretion and ulceration in albino rats.

Gastric Ulcers
Acid peptic disease ulcers are etiology associated with normal acidity or hyposecretion. In pathological condition chronic gastric ulcer is larger than a duodenal ulcer.

For their research, the group undertook gastric acid secretion studies using pylorus-ligated rats.

They revealed that gastric lesions in the rats were induced by noxious chemicals including ethanol, strong alkalis, indomethacin and hypothermic restraint stress.

The levels of gastric wall mucus, nonprotein sulfhydryls and malondialdehyde were also measured in the glandular stomach of rats following ethanol administration. The gastric tissue was also examined histologically. The extract was used in two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) in all experiments.

Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is characterized by bouts of diarrhea, bleeding per rectum and pain, which remits and relapses. Fulminant colitis is a possibility, which may require colectomy.

The researchers observed that the ethanolic extract of EER significantly and dose-dependently reduced the basal gastric acid secretion, titratable acidity and ruminal ulceration.

Rocket extract significantly attenuated gastric ulceration induced by necrotizing agents, indomethacin and hypothermic restraint stress. The anti-ulcer effect was further confirmed histologically.

On the other hand, the extract significantly replenished gastric wall mucus and nonprotein sulfhydryls levels, as well as the malondialdehyde level significantly reduced by extract pretreatment.

They concluded that EER extract possesses antisecretory, cytoprotective, and anti-ulcer activities against experimentally-induced gastric lesions. The anti-ulcer effect is possibly through prostaglandinmediated activity and/or through its anti-secretory and antioxidant properties.

Indian Plant Holds Promise for Ulcer Cure
A research team in Mysore, India, has demonstrated the effectiveness of a novel multi-step ulcer preventive activity.

The study has been published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

Source-ANI
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