Role of Blepharis maderaspatensis and Ammannia baccifera plant extracts on in vitro oxygen radical scavenging, secretion of gastric fluid and gastroprotection on ulcer induced rats.

CONTEXT: Blepharis maderaspatensis L. Roth (BM) (Acanthaceae) and Ammannia baccifera L. (AB) (Lythraceae) are used in folk medicine for various stomach disorders.

OBJECTIVE

The chloroform and ethanol extracts of both plants were evaluated for antioxidant, gastric antisecretory, and gastroprotective properties.

METHODS

Antioxidant properties of the extracts were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging assay. The gastric antisecretory properties of the extracts were assessed, at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg, using aspirin-pylorus ligation induced gastric ulcer models and the gastroprotective activity of the extracts was assessed, at a dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg, using HCl-ethanol induced ulcer models in rats.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Ethanol extract of BM (EBM) possessed good antioxidant property with IC₅₀ values of 37.4 and 44.1 µg/mL in DPPH and NO scavenging assays respectively, where 25-250 µg/mL concentration in DPPH assay and 30-300 µg/mL concentration in NO scavenging assay were used. Ethanol extract of AB (EAB) at a dose of 200 mg/kg reduced the free acidity to 142.66 mEq/L and total acidity to 451.22 mEq/L. It reduced the gastric secretion with increase in pH from 2.2 to 3.15. Possessing good antisecretory activity, it also reduced the ulcer by 92.2% in aspirin and pylorus ligation induced gastric ulcer models. EAB increased the mucus secretion and adherent mucus in the tissues with a 71.43% reduction of ulcerin HCl-ethanol induced ulcer models, at a dose of 200 mg/kg. This activity can be attributed to the various flavonoids like rutin and kaempferol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside, and the phytosterol, β-sitosterol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside, and phenolics present in the extracts.

CONCLUSION

EBM possessed significant antioxidant property while EAB possessed good antisecretory and gastroprotective activity.