Gastric ulcer healing properties of Ledebouria ovatifolia (Baker) Jessop

Abstract

Ledebouria ovatifolia (Baker) Jessop is a wild plant widely used for medicinal purposes including diarrhoea, stomach ache and gastric ulcer in African rural settings. This study aims to evaluate the healing effect of L. ovatifolia on experimental induced gastric ulcer in rats. Indomethacin (50 mg/kg, po), ethanol (2 ml/rat, po) and stress were used to induce gastric ulcer. The anti-ulceration lesion index was calculated, also, macroscopic and histopathologic assessments were made. The results showed that oral administration of L. ovatifolia significantly decreases gastric ulcer compared with the control group. Ulceration inhibition was 67 and 87% for indomethacin-induced ulcer, 13 and 33% for ethanol-induced ulcer and 50 and 70% for stress-induced ulcer, respectively, for 100 mg and 200 mg/kg of L. ovatifolia. Macroscopic and histopathologic assessment of ulcerated stomach showed a reduced area of gastric lesion, with moderate disruption of the gastric epithelium as well as the mucosa stomach cell in L. ovatifolia treated groups at both dosages. These results clearly showed that L. ovatifolia may possess anti-ulcerogenic properties, which may support evidence for its traditional utilisation.

Keywords:

• gastric ulcer
• Ledebouria ovatifolia
• indomethacin-induced ulcer
• stress-induced ulcer
• ethanol-induced ulcer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research has been supported by the Department of Human Biology Budget, Walter Sisulu University.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Eugene Jamot Ndebia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5840-0715

Additional information

Funding

This research has been supported by the Department of Human Biology Budget, Walter Sisulu University.