title: Gastroprotective effect of Cymbopogon citratus infusion on acute ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Treatment of gastric ulcers with medicinal plants is quite common in traditional medicine worldwide. Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf. leaves infusion has been used in folk medicine of many tropical and subtropical regions to treat gastric disturbances. The aim of this study was to assess the potential gastroprotective activity of an essential oil-free infusion from C. citratus leaves in acute gastric lesions induced by ethanol in rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on adult male Wistar rats (234.0±22.7g) fasted for 24h but with free access to water. The extract was given orally before (prevention) or after (treatment) intragastric administration of absolute ethanol. Effects of dose (28 or 56mg/kg of body weight) and time of contact of the extract with gastric mucosa (1 or 2h) were also assessed. Animals were sacrificed, being the stomachs removed and the lesions were assessed by macroscopic observation and histopathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C. citratus extract, given orally before or after ethanol, significantly (P<0.01) reduced gastric mucosal injury compared with control group (vehicle+ethanol). The effect does not appear to be dose-dependent. Results also suggested that the extract is more effective when the time of contact with gastric mucosa increases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this assay confirm the gastroprotective activity of C. citratus extract on experimental gastric lesions induced by ethanol, contributing for the pharmacological validation of its traditional use.
authors.affiliation: Group of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sagradas
authors.affiliation: Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Environment, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figueirinha
authors.affiliation: Group of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria Margarida
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Castel-Branco
authors.affiliation: Experimental Pathology Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: António Manuel
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Silvério Cabrita
authors.affiliation: Group of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal; Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel Vitória
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Center of Neurosciences and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: mtpmb@ff.uc.pt.
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Batista
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D031743:Cymbopogon; D000431:Ethanol; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Cymbopogon citratus; Gastric ulcer; Gastroprotective; Infusion; Lemongrass