title: Antiulcer activity of the chloroform extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaf.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bauhinia purpurea L. (Fabaceae) is a native plant species of many Asian countries, including Malaysia and India. In India, the root, stem, bark, and leaf of B. purpurea are used to treat various ailments, including ulcers and stomach cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In an attempt to establish its pharmacological potential, we studied the antiulcer activity of lipid-soluble extract of B. purpurea obtained via extraction of air-dried leaves using chloroform.
  
  
  METHODS
  The rats were administered the chloroform extract (dose range of 100-1000 mg/kg) orally after 24 h fasting. They were subjected to the absolute ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer, and pyloric ligation assays after 30 min. The acute toxicity study was conducted using a single oral dose of 5000 mg/kg extract and the rats were observed for the period of 14 days. omeprazole (30 mg/kg) was used as the standard control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 5000 mg/kg, the extract produced no sign of toxicity in rats. The extract exhibited significant (p < 0.05) dose-dependent antiulcer activity for the ethanol-induced model. The extract also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the gastric wall mucus production and pH of gastric content, while significantly (p < 0.05) reducing the total volume and total acidity of the gastric content in the pylorus ligation assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extract possesses antiulcer, antisecretory and cytoprotective activities, which could be attributed to its flavonoid and tannin content. These findings provide new information regarding the potential of lipid-soluble compounds of B. purpurea for the prevention and treatment of gastric ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA , Puncak Alam Campus, Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Elly Ezlinda Abdul
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Hisam
authors.forename: Zainul Amiruddin
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Norhafizah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohtaruddin
authors.forename: Mohd Salleh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rofiee
authors.forename: Hasiah Ab
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Fezah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Othman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D036481:Bauhinia / Q000737:chemistry; D002725:Chloroform / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019610:Cytoprotection; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000431:Ethanol; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007213:Indomethacin; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D018515:Plant Leaves; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D000431:Ethanol; D002725:Chloroform; D009853:Omeprazole; D007213:Indomethacin