title: Gastroprotective effect of aqueous stem bark extract of Ziziphus jujuba L. against HCl/Ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluated the gastroprotective effects of standardized aqueous extract of Ziziphus jujuba (Z. jujuba) stem bark against acidified ethanol-induced gastric ulcers as well as anti helicobacter pylori activity of the plant extract in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five groups of rats were orally pre-treated with normal saline (0.9%) as ulcer group, 150 mg/kg of ranitidine as positive control group, 100, 200 and 400 mg of standardized extract solution as the experimental groups. Two hours later, acidified ethanol solution was given by gavages in order to induce of gastric ulcer. The antibacterial effect of extract against clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) was evaluated through disc diffusion test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ulcer group exhibited significantly severe mucosal injury as compared with ranitidine or extract group which shows significant protective action against gastric mucosal injury. The extract showed no effect on H. pylori.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that Z. jujuba stem bark extract had a potential antiulcer activity which might be due to its protective activity, providing a direct, protective effect on the gastric mucosa. Our study showed that anti-H. pylori activity was not among gastroprotective mechanism of Z. jujuba. Further pre-clinical and clinical investigations for evaluating natural active agents and efficacy of this plant are recommended.
authors.forename: Shokouhsadat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamedi
authors.forename: Amir Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Arian
authors.forename: Mohammad Hosein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Farzaei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000009:adverse effects; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D031957:Ziziphus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000431:Ethanol; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid