title: Anti-ulcerogenic properties of Quassia amara L. (Simaroubaceae) standardized extracts in rodent models.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quassia amara L. is commonly used in Costarican folk medicine. It has been used for the treatment of a broad range of gastrointestinal symptoms such as dyspepsia, gastritis and constipation. In this study, the gastroprotective activity of two standardized extracts of Quassia amara L., Lipro(®) and Ligas(®), was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anti-ulcerogenic properties were evaluated in female rats under acute ulcer-induction models (ethanol, indomethacin and hypotermic restraint). To get a deeper insight in the anti-ulcerogenic properties of the extracts, Ligas(®) was evaluated in the Shay rat model. Five parameters were estimated with this model: gastric mucus barrier, non-protein sulfhydril groups (NPSG) in the gastric mucosa, and pH, total acidity and peptic activity of the gastric juice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Induction of ulcers by 95% ethanol (0.5 mL per os), indomethacin (100 mg/kgs.c.) and stress (2h in hypothermic restraint) was inhibited significantly with administration of Lipro(®) (p<0.05), in a dosage range from 4.9 mg/kg/d to 48.9 mg/kg/d. Treatment was given for one week. The extract Ligas(®) showed a significant augmentation of NPSG (p<0.05) in a dosage range from 4.0 to 39.7 mg/kg. Ligas(®) did not produce a significant change (p>0.05) in the other indicators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Quassia amara L. standardized extracts, Lipro(®) and Ligas(®), showed an important anti-ulcerogenic effect in acute ulcer induction models. Their effect was related to an increase in gastric barrier mucus and non-protein sulfhydril groups.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Fitofarmacología, Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica. pedro.garcia b@ucr.ac.cr
authors.forename: Pedro Manuel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: García-Barrantes
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Badilla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032271:Quassia / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol; D007213:Indomethacin