Antiulcerogenic effects of Celosia trigyna plant extracts on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in adult Wistar rats

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Gastric ulcer is a chronic disease and serious health issue. Celosia trigyna is a medicinal plant used traditionally for wound healing. This study aimed to isolate the bioactive compounds from Celosia trigyna and to investigate the in vitro and in vivo anti-ulcerogenic effects of the extracts on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer on adult Wistar rats to determine their regenerative potential. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE: Seven groups (A – negative control, B – vehicle control, C, D, E, F and G – positive control, n = 5) of five adult Wistar rats received treatment for ethanol-induced gastric ulcer. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Phytochemical analysis led to the isolation of chondrillasterol, lutein, pheophytin a and chondrillasterol acetate. The in vitro results showed dichloromethane and hexane extracts to have maximum chymotrypsin inhibition relative to the standard (chymostatin) while in vivo results showed a significant increase in ulcer parameters of the vehicle control relative to groups treated with plant extracts (P < 0.05). Ulcer parameters and DNA density in groups treated with dichloromethane and hexane extracts were comparable to the negative control. Gross and histopathological findings confirmed gastric mucosa lesions in the vehicle control. There were mild ulcerations in groups treated with the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts with no observable ulcerations in the groups treated with dichloromethane and hexane extracts as the histoarchitectural outlines do not show any form of necrosis, distortion or cellular vacuolation. It was concluded that non-polar, hydrophobic compounds are able to remediate the degree of ulceration but not polar compounds.