Gastroprotective effect of Berberis vulgaris on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury: Histopathological evaluations

Objective: Modern treatment of peptic ulcers includes antibacterial and gastroprotective medications. However, current anti-ulcer drugs possess severe side effects. Therefore, all attempts to find new effective medications free from side effects are justified. Though Berberis vulgaris is a medicinal plant commonly used for the treatment of numerous disorders, gastroprotective effect of its leaf extract was not investigated before.Materials and Methods: Gastric ulcer was modelled in Sprague-Dawley rats after treatment with B. vulgaris leaf extract containing ۰.۰۷% of alkaloids, ۰.۴۸% of flavonoids and ۸.۰۵% of tanning substances, ۱۰ or ۵۰ mg of dry extract/kg, changes in the stomach mucosa were assessed semi-quantitatively, and the gastric wall was evaluated for prostaglandin E۲ level using ELISA and assessed histologically by calculation of the lesion index.Results: B. vulgaris leaf extract at the dose of ۵۰ mg/kg reduced the macroscopic ulcer score and the microscopic lesion index, increased prostaglandin E۲ concentration in the gastric wall significantly higher than atropine and B. vulgaris leaf extract ۱۰ mg/kg.Conclusion: The gastroprotective effect of the high dose of B. vulgaris leaf extract may be due to stimulation of prostaglandin E۲ secretion in the stomach, and anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenolic complex of flavonoids and tannins present in the leaves of this plant.

کلیدواژه ها:

Berberis vulgaris ، Stomach ulcer ، Prostaglandin E۲