Ethanolic leaf extract of <i>Langenaria breviflora</i> (bitter gourd) inhibits gastric onslaught in indomethacininduced ulcerated rats

Abstract

Objective: Gastrointestinal toxicity remains a barrier to applications of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in medical practice. Plant extract with excellent therapeutic potential may proffer solution to this menace. This
study investigated the gastroprotective effect of Lagenaria breviflora leaves extract against indomethacinmediated gastric ulcer in rats.
Methodology and result: Ulceration in the rat was induced by a single oral dose of indomethacin (60 mg/kg body weight). Ulcerated rats were orally administered with Lagenaria breviflora extract at 200 mg/kg body weight once daily for 21 days prior to and after ulcer induction. Gastric secretions and antioxidant parameters were then evaluated. The study indicates that indomethacin caused a significant increase in ulcer index, gastric acidity, malondialadehyde level and pepsin activity. Administration of Lagenaria breviflora in rats reversed these metabolic alterations. The extract also attenuated the reduced activity of catalase, pH and mucin content in the ulcerated rats.
Conclusions and application of findings: These findings are indicative of gastroprotective and antioxidative attributes of the extract, which is revealed in the percentage protection offered against ulceration. The
supportive evidences in this study suggest that the effect of leaves extract of Lagenaria breviflora proved to be capable of modulating indomethacin-mediated gastric ulceration and could be harnessed as preventive therapy
in the treatment of gastric ulcer related disorder.

Key words: Gastroprotective; H₂ receptor; Medicinal; NSAIDS; Proton pump inhibitor; Ulceration.