EVALUATION OF ANTIULCER ACTIVITY OF A POLYHERBAL FORMULATION IN PYLORUS-LIGATION INDUCED PEPTIC ULCERS IN ALBINO RATS

ABSTRACT Polyherbal formulations are used in West African folk medicine for the management of various ailments including diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, toothaches and many others. Polyherbal formulations are medical preparations that contain more than one plant which most times offer synergistic activity with a higher therapeutic activity than a single herb. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the antiulcer activity of a polyherbal formulation used in the management of peptic ulcer disease on pyloric ligation induced peptic ulcer in albino rats. The plant parts were extracted together using the decoction method, and the resultant formulation was submitted to phytochemical analysis. The therapeutic activity of the formulation was determined by oral administration of the formulation on pyloric ligation ulcer induced albino rats with respect to the 3Rs of “The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique”. The test animals were sacrificed after the experiment according to the ethical guidelines for use of animals in research. The oral lethal doses (LD50) of the extracts were determined by Lorke’s method in rats. The therapeutic efficacy of the polyherbal formulation was compared with a standard drug “omeprazole” and a control. The gastric contents of the test animals were titrated against sodium hydroxide (0.1N NaOH) and phenolphthalein to determine the free and total acidity of the gastric juice. The polyherbal formulation dose-dependently inhibited the formation of ulcer perforations and redness in the linings of the stomach linings. The effective dose of the polyherbal formulation was determined with respect to the number of ulcer, ulcer rating, the ulcer index, the quantity of gastric juice secreted and PH of the gastric juice. The results from this study provide scientific evidence that the polyherbal used in the experimental research has an anti-ulcer activity. The polyherbal formulation exhibited a dose-dependent anti-ulcer activity against ulcer induced rats with an anti-secretory activity. These findings support the use of this polyherbal formulation in the management of peptic ulcer disease.