title: Gastroprotective and ulcer healing effects of Piptadeniastrum Africanum on experimentally induced gastric ulcers in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastric peptic ulcer is one of the common disorders of gastrointestinal tract, which occur due to an imbalance between the offensive and defensive factors. It is an illness that affects a considerable number of people worldwide. This study was conducted to evaluate the antiulcerogenic and antiulcer effects and recognize the basic mechanism of action of Piptadeniastrum africanum stem bark extracts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aqueous and methanol extracts of Piptadeniastrum africanum were administered at the doses 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg to evaluate their effects on gastric ulcer induced by the HCl/ethanol mixture, indomethacin and acetic acid in Wistar strain male adult rats, aged between 12 and 16 weeks and weighing between 180 and 220 g. Ranitidine, Maalox and Misoprostol were used as standard drugs. Histopathological examination and nitric oxide level were performed to evaluate the basic mechanism of action of Piptadeniastrum africanum. Phytochemical screening was carried out to identify known phytochemicals present in these extracts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The aqueous and methanol extracts of stem bark of Piptadeniastrum africanum significantly inhibited (p < 0.01) gastric ulceration induced by HCl/ethanol to the percentages of inhibition of 81.38; 98.75 and 100 % for the aqueous extract and then 75.83, 89.76 and 96.52 % for the methanol extract, and with the Indomethacin-induced ulcers, aqueous and methanol extracts of bark of Piptadeniastrum africanum reduce significantly (p < 0.01) induced gastric lesions in rats, with percentage of cure 35.75; 52.33 and 98.58 % for the aqueous extract, and 33.7; 51.97; and 65.93 to the methanol extract. The results revealed a significant reduction of ulcerated surface in both extracts and increase of nitric oxide (NO) level with methanol extract. When compared to methanol extract, aqueous extract showed more pronounced effects, corresponding to percentages of healing of 59. 92; 84.12 and 59.65 % for the aqueous extract; and 70.43; 55.49 and 57.59 % for the methanol extract in the ulcer induced by acetic acid, all at the respective doses of 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg. Histopathological observations also demonstrated curative effect. As such, both extracts were found to exhibit preventive and curative effects through the release of NO and growth factors. This could also be due to the presence of phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and saponins which act as antisecretory agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Piptadeniastrum africanum stem bark extracts thus have gastroprotective and ulcer healing effects, which could result from their activities by stimulating important cellular mechanisms such as migration and proliferation of epithelial cells that may have a cytoprotective effect by stimulating the release of prostaglandins. These results are required to confirm the ethnopharmacological use of Piptadeniastrum africanum stem bark in the treatment of ulcer.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. ateufack2000@yahoo.fr.|Department of Animal Biology, Dschang University, Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology Laboratory, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. ateufack2000@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ateufack
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. Caroldomgnim@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Elisabeth Carol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Domgnim Mokam
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. mbiantchamarius@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Marius
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbiantcha
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. wwwdrostand@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Rostand Breuil
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Dongmo Feudjio
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon. davidnana@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Phytopharmacology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon. akamanyi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kamanyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007887:Fabaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents