Assessment of Anti-ulcer Efficacy of Stem Bark Extract of Nauclea latifolia (African Peach) in Rats

Morufu Eyitayo Balogun^1, , Daniel Chukwu Nwachukwu², Shakiru Ademola Salami³, Elizabeth Enohnyaket Besong¹, Dorathy Chinwe Obu^{1, 4} and Serges Fankou Athanase Djobissie¹

¹Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

²Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, Nigeria

³Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Morufu Eyitayo Balogun, Daniel Chukwu Nwachukwu, Shakiru Ademola Salami, Elizabeth Enohnyaket Besong, Dorathy Chinwe Obu and Serges Fankou Athanase Djobissie. Assessment of Anti-ulcer Efficacy of Stem Bark Extract of Nauclea latifolia (African Peach) in Rats. American Journal of Biomedical Research. 2016; 4(1):13-17. doi: 10.12691/ajbr-4-1-3

Abstract

Aims: Nauclea latifolia Sm. (Rubiaceae) is known for its therapeutic uses, especially in alternative medicine. Its leaves, roots and bark have been used traditionally in Nigeria to treat various diseases including ulcer-related diseases. Methods: The aqueous stem bark extract of Nauclea latifolia was investigated for anti-ulcerogenic effects using ethanol/HCI and indomethacin as the ulcerogens. The effect of the extract on gastric mucous secretion was also investigated. The extract was administered orally at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg b. wt. for the experimental groups while the control and reference groups received distilled water (2 ml/kg, p.o) and omeprazole (20 mg/kg, p.o) respectively. Results: Phytochemical studies revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, alkaloids, terpenes and glycosides. The results show that the extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the ulcer index from 4.55 ± 1.45 to 1.20 ± 0.19 and from 4.20 ± 0.72 to 0.94 ± 2.51 in the ethanol/HCI and indomethacin induced ulceration respectively. The extract also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the gastric mucous secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusions: The results suggest that the N. latifolia stem bark extract possesses significant anti-ulcer effects which might be due to its ability to increase gastric mucous secretion.

Keywords:
Nauclea latifolia anti-ulcerogenic indomethacin phytochemical screening gastric mucous rats

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