title: Gastroprotective effect of Piper betle Linn. leaves grown in Sri Lanka.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Piper betle Linn. (Piperaceae) is used as a remedy for gastric ulcers in traditional medicinal systems in Sri Lanka. However, the gastroprotective activity has never been proven scientifically using betel leaves grown in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the gastroprotective activity of hot aqueous extract (HAE) and cold ethanolic extract (CEE) of P. betle in rats as the experimental model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three doses (200, 300, and 500 mg/kg/bw) of both extracts were evaluated for the gastroprotective activity against ethanol induced gastric ulcers in rats. The parameters evaluated were (a) effects of HAE on mucus content adhering to the wall of the gastric mucosa, (b) acidity (total and free), (c) volume and (d) pH of the gastric juice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF HAE AND CEE PROVIDED MARKED DOSE DEPENDENT (HAE: r (2) = 0.97; CEE: r (2) = 0.96) and significant (P ≤ 0.05) protection against gastric damage caused by absolute ethanol. The gastroprotective effect of CEE was comparable with that of HAE. Further, gastroprotective activity of the highest dose of both extracts were significantly greater (P ≤ 0.05) than that of misoprostol, the reference drug. The HAE significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the mucus content adhering to the wall of the gastric mucosa and inhibited the volume of gastric acid. However, acidity (total and free) and pH of the gastric juice remained unaltered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is concluded that both HAE and CEE of P. betle leaves have a strong gastroprotective activity.
authors.affiliation: Industrial Technology Institute, Herbal Technology Section, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: L D A M
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Arawwawala
authors.affiliation: Industrial Technology Institute, Herbal Technology Section, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: L S R
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Arambewela
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Ratnasooriya
keywords: Gastric acid; Piper betle; misoprostol; mucus content