Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Whole Plant Extract of Malvastrum tricuspidatum in Experimental Animals

Malvastrum tricuspidatum is recommended in Ayurveda and Folklore Medicine for the management of gastric ulcers. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate the antiulcer effect of whole plant extract of Malvastrum tricuspidatum (MTE) on ethanol (EtOH)-induced, aspirin (ASP)-induced, cold-restraint-stress (CRU) and pylorus--ligation(PL)-induced gastric ulcer models in rats. Aqueous extract (MTAE 250, 500 mg/kg) and ethanolic extract (MTEE 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) were tested orally in ethanol-induced ulcer model. The ethanolic extract (MTEE 500 mg/kg) showed better ulcer protection than aqueous extract in ethanol induced ulcer model. Hence, effective dose of ethanolic extract (500 mg/kg) was further investigated in remaining models. The ethanolic extract (MTEE at the dose of 500 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the gastric lesions induced by EtOH (82.35 %), ASP (83.10 %), CRU (84.61%) and PL (75.78%), respectively. In addition MTEE showed concomitant attenuation of gastric secretory volume, free acidity, total acidity and peptic activity in ulcerated rats. Also the phytochemical tests revealed presence of antiulcer phytochemical constituents like flavonoids, tannins, terpenes and glycinebetaine in ethanolic extract. These results suggest that ethanolic extract (MTEE) of whole plant of Malvastrum tricuspidatum is effective against all the four experimentally induced acute gastric ulcers.