Pharmacological Evaluation of Possi le Antiulcer Effects of Certain Natural and Synthetic Agents in Normal and Protein Malnourished Animals

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of protein malnutrition on ethanol­ induced gastric ulcer. It also examined the effect of both protein malnutrition and gastric ulcer on the oxidant status of rats. In addition, the present investigation aimed at studying the possible protective effects of some natural products against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in normal as well as protein malnourished rats. • I Four main sets of experiments were perform d. The first set was a pilot I study carried out •to choose a concentration of etnanol that produces suitable submaximal ulcerogenic effect and to choose the suitable dose of test drugs that may exert antiulcer effect in this model. In this set of experiments, ethanol was orally administered to 36 h fasted rats which were previously maintained on normal laboratory chow. The tested ethanol concentrations were 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% and absolute ethanol. Test drugs namely, ranitidine (ISO mg/kg), famotidine (40 mg/kg), silymarin I (200 mg/kg), diosmin (200 mg/kg), rutin (200 mg/kg), coenzyme Q 10 (200 mg/kg)

and curcumin (200 mg/kg) were orally administered 1 h before ethanol.

The ulcerogenic effect of ethanol and the antiulcerogenic potentials of test drugs were evaluated based on number of ulcers, ulcer index and the gastric mucosal content of two oxidative stress biomarkers, namely thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH). According to the obtained results, 70% ethanol was chosen to induce suitable submaximal gastric ulcer in the current study. The selected drugs for further studies were ranitidine, as a reference H2-receptor antagonist, rutin as a representative of the flavonoid group, as well as I coenzyme Q10 and curcumin as antioxidants.

This study was also extended to select a suitable time for giving the antiulcerogenic agent as a prophylactic regimen. Test drug was given 1 or 2 hours before ulcer induction. Number of ulcers and ulcer index were used to judge the antiulcerogenic potential. Based on this experiment, the test drugs in the present I ' study were administered 2 hours prior to ulcer inducti?n.