Abstract

The anti-ulcer effects of ethanolic stem-bark extract and fractions of Lannea acida on indomethacin-induced ulcer in experimental rats were investigated. Forty two (42) albino rats were grouped into seven different groups of six rats in each group. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of the phytochemicals of the fractions and extract were determined. Indomethacin was orally administered as a single dose of 30 mg/kg to induce ulcer in the rats. Ulcerated rats were orally treated with fractions and extracts of lannea acida at different doses and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) was used as reference drug once daily for 14 days.  The rats were fasted for 24 h, on the last day of the treatment before the animals were sacrificed. At the end of the experiment, ulcer index, gastric secretions and antioxidant parameters were analyzed.  Indomethacin administration caused significant increase in (p<0.05) ulcer index. There was significant reduction of ulcer index, volume of gastric juice, free, total acidity, malondialadehyde and pepsin activity when treated with extracts, and fractions compared with indomethacin untreated group. Administration of Lannea acida extract to ulcerated animals showed significant increases (p<0.05) of pH and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the treated animals in a dose dependent style with the highest effect observed in rat administered with the highest dose. The results show the gastroprotective, ulcer and antioxidant effects of Lannea acida extract, which was revealed its ability to reverse the gastric juice secretion parameters and to scavenge free radical produced by MDA level. From the above findings, Lannea acida contain bioactive potential for treatment of indomethacin induced-ulcer.