Anti-ulcer polysaccharides from Cola cordifolia bark and leaves.
BACKGROUND
Aqueous extracts of bark and leaves of C. cordifolia are traditionally used in Mali (West Africa) in the treatment of wounds and gastric ailments like abdominal pain, gastritis and gastric ulcers.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and compare the anti-ulcer and immunological activities, as well as the toxicity of polysaccharide rich water extracts from the bark and leaves of C. cordifolia.


METHODS
Gastric ulcers were induced in rats and the inhibition of ulcer formation was calculated based on lesion index. Immunological activities were measured by complement fixation and macrophage activation. Toxicity was tested on brine shrimps. The two extracts were characterised by GC, Yariv-precipitation and quantification of phenolic compounds. An ethnomedical survey on C. cordifolia was carried out in Siby (Mali, West-Africa) to generate more knowledge about the traditional use.


RESULTS
Bark and leaf extracts from C. cordifolia significantly inhibited the formation of gastric lesions in rodents in a dose depending manner. CCbark50 showed a high complement fixation activity in vitro. No toxicity was found. The ethnomedical survey showed that C. cordifolia was mainly used for treating pain and wounds.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results shows that the bark and the leaves comprise a dose dependant anti-ulcer activity in an experimental rat model (no statistical difference between the plant parts). Clinical studies should be performed to evaluate the effect of both bark and leaves of C. cordifolia as a remedy against gastric ulcer in human.
School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway. ingvilau@farmasi.uio.no
Ingvild
I
Austarheim
Haidara
H
Mahamane
Rokia
R
Sanogo
Adiaratou
A
Togola
Mehdi
M
Khaledabadi
Anne C
AC
Vestrheim
Kari T
KT
Inngjerdingen
Terje E
TE
Michaelsen
Drissa
D
Diallo
Berit S
BS
Paulsen
D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001156:Artemia; D030221:Cola / Q000737:chemistry*; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides