title: In vivo antiulcer activity of the aqueous extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaf.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bauhinia purpurea (Fabaceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat various ailments, including ulcers. In order to establish pharmacological properties of the leaf of Bauhinia purpurea, studies were performed on antiulcer activity of the plant's aqueous extract.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Bauhinia purpurea aqueous extract (BPAE) was prepared in the doses of 100, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg. Antiulcer activity of BPAE was evaluated by absolute ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer, and pyloric ligation models. Acute toxicity was also carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BPAE, at the dose of 5,000 mg/kg, did not cause any signs of toxicity to rats when given orally. Oral administration of BPAE exhibited antiulcer activity (p<0.05) in all models used. However, the dose-dependent activity was observed only in the absolute ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model. Histological studies supported the observed antiulcer activity of BPAE. In pyloric ligation assay, BPAE increased the gastric wall mucus secretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The BPAE exhibits antiulcer activity, which could be due to the presence of saponins or sugar-free polyphenols, and, thus, confirmed the traditional uses of Bauhinia purpurea in the treatment of ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. zaz@medic.upm.edu.my
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Abdul Hisam
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rofiee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norhafizah
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Somchit
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Teh
authors.forename: M Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Salleh
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D036481:Bauhinia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts