Antiulcer Effects of Methanol Extract of Euphorbia hirta and Honey Combination in Rats

Stomach ulcer is an endemic gastrointestinal disorder which constitutes a major public health problem all over the world. Stomach ulcer results when there is an imbalance between the protective factors (mucus and bicarbonate) and aggressive factors (acid and pepsin) in the stomach. Dried powdered leaves and stem of the phytomedicine Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta) (1000 g) was extracted with methanol using a soxhlet apparatus. The evaluation of the phytochemical constituents of E. hirta and acute toxicity (to ascertain the safety of using the phytomedicine over a short period of time) was carried out. The antiulcer and gastroprotective effects of crude extract of E. hirta combined with honey in rats were evaluated. The study model using 0.6 M HCl model of ulceration was used to evaluate the antiulcer and gastroprotective activities of the phytomedicine. The soxhlet extraction of E. hirta gave a yield of 54.5 g of crude extract (5.45%). Phytochemical screening of E. hirta showed that the extract contains alkaloids, tannins, saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, and unsaturated steroids. Acute toxicity studies showed that LD(50) was greater than 5000 mg/kg. The study showed that the crude extract of E. hirta at 200 mg/kg when administered alone had 54% inhibition of ulceration while when administered together with honey increased to 94% inhibition of ulceration, but honey alone had 89.47% inhibition of ulceration. This implied that E. hirta when combined with honey had a synergistic effect and enhanced the inhibition of ulceration, and this could be seen by the protection of the gastric mucosa. The study of the phytomedicine E. hirta combined with honey revealed that the phytomedicine has antiulcer activities against 0.6 M HCl-induced gastric ulcer in rats. This therefore validates usage and claim by the Igbo people of the southeastern part of Nigeria that the phytomedicine of E. hirta combined with honey has good antiulcer potential.