Antiulcerogenic effect of Carthamus oxycantha M. Bieb (Asteraceae) in mice and rat models.

The ulcer protective potential of methanolic extract of seeds of Carthamus oxycantha M. Bieb. (CO) was evaluated in different acute gastric ulceration models in experimental animals. The ulcer induced agents were aspirin and ethanol in swiss albino mice, whereas the pyloric ligation was performed in albino wister rats. The extract was administered orally at dosages of 200 and 400 mg/kg of body weight once daily for 7 days. The extract showed significant protection against ulcer in a dose-dependent manner in all acute gastric ulcer models (20.68 to 58.06% protection, p<0.01 to p<0.001). The results were compared with the standard reference drug omeprazole, that showed a significant ulcer protection index of 55.73-66.12%. Furthermore, administration of CO lead to a decrease in volume of gastric juice (3.98±0.391 to 3.18±0.287 ml), free acidity (73.2±3.721 to 55±5.496 Eq/l/100 gm), total acidity (118.2±4.705 to 99.4±6.532 mEq/l/100 gm) and increased value of pH (3.4±0.253 to 4.18±0.404). Animals treated with CO exhibited a low ulcer index as compared to control animals in three models. The antiulcer potential of CO, however was less than omeprazole. Administration of CO prevented the development of gastric mucosal lesion significantly and decreased the gastric toxicity produced by ulcerogenic agents. The results of our study indicated that CO possesses antiulcer potential which may be due to antioxidant components present in extract.