Title : Gastroprotective effect of an aqueous extract of syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry (Myrtaceae) In wistar rats
Abstract:
In Africa, 80% of the population uses medicinal plants for their primary health care. In Ivory Coast, Syzygium aromaticum (Myrtaceae) is used in traditional medicine in the treatment of gastric ulcers. This study aims to verify the gastroprotective effect of an aqueous extract of the buds of Syzygium aromaticum (EASA) in wistar rats. To do this, an acute toxicity study was first carried out in rats with predefined doses of 500, 2000, and 5000 mg/kg of Body Weight orally. Then, for the study of the gastroprotective effect, the rats were pretreated with increasing doses of EASA of 500, 1000 and 1300 mg/kg B.W. before receiving an ulcerogenic substance (Eth/HCl/H2O) 1 hour later in comparison to a group pretreated with Omeprazole 20 mg/kg B.W., which is a reference substance. The results of this study show that the aqueous extract of Syzygium aromaticum buds is non-toxic orally. EASA, dose-dependently reduced the ulceration index and the percentage of ulcerations to 37%, 12%, 21% respectively at the doses used, versus 5% for the dose of Omeprazole. It, therefore, increases the percentage of protection 63%, 88% and 79% respectively for the doses of 500, 1000 and 1300 mg/kg B.W. against 95% for Omeprazole. Only, a few hemorrhagic points are observed but no hemorrhagic furrows in the stomach of the rats pre-treated with the extract on the histological sections. EASA, therefore, protects the gastric mucosa against the onset of ulcerations, which would justify its use in traditional oral medicine.
