Gastroprotective effect of Terminalia arjuna bark on diclofenac sodium induced gastric ulcer.
OBJECTIVE
The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of methanolic extract of Terminalia arjuna (TA) on diclofenac sodium induced gastric ulcer in experimental rats.


METHODS
Animals were induced for gastric ulcer with diclofenac sodium (DIC) (80mg/kg bodyweight in water, orally) and treated orally with TA in various doses ranging from 100mg/kg bodyweight to 500mg/kg bodyweight. The effective dose was 400mg/kg bodyweight, since this dose elicited a maximum reduction in lesion index. The gastroprotective effect of TA was assessed from volume of gastric juice, pH, free and total acidity, pepsin concentration, acid output in gastric juice, the levels of non-protein sulfhydryls (NP-SH), lipid peroxide (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH), and activities of enzymic antioxidants--super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in gastric mucosa. The levels of DNA, protein bound carbohydrate complexes--hexose, hexoseamine, sialic acid, fucose in gastric mucosa and gastric juice and the levels of RNA in gastric mucosa were assessed. The stomach tissues were used for adherent mucus content and also for the histological examination.


RESULTS
A significant reduction in lesion index was observed in ulcer induced animals treated with TA (DIC+TA) compared to ulcerated rats (DIC). A significant increase was observed in pH, NP-SH, GSH, enzymic antioxidants, protein bound carbohydrate complexes, adherent mucus content, nucleic acids with a significant decrease in volume of gastric juice, free and total acidity, pepsin concentration, acid output, LPO levels and MPO activities in DIC+TA rats compared to DIC rats. Histological studies confirmed the gastroprotective activity of TA.


CONCLUSIONS
From the data presented in this study it could be concluded that T. arjuna acts as an gastroprotective agent probably due to its free radical scavenging activity and cytoprotective nature.
Devi
Rethinam Sundaresan
RS
Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600025, Tamil Nadu, India.
Narayan
Shoba
S
Vani
Ganapathy
G
Shyamala Devi
Chennam Srinivasulu
CS
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004008:Diclofenac; D005750:Gastric Juice / Q000737:chemistry; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D029766:Terminalia / Q000737:chemistry*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D004008:Diclofenac; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione