Healing Potential of Citrullus Lanatus in Acetic Acid Induced Ulcerated Rats

Healing Potential of Citrullus Lanatus in Acetic Acid Induced Ulcerated Rats

An attempt was made to evaluate healing potential of aqueous fruit pulp of Citrullus lanatus (250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg p.o.) on acetic acid induced ulcers in albino rats Wistar albino rats were divided in five groups of six animals in each, first group served as control and received vehicle only, second group served as standard and treated with carbenoloxone sodium 100mg/kg of bwtwhile group three, four and five were treated with fruit pulp aqueous fruit pulp extract of C.lanatus (CLE)at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg BW, per os respectively, for five days after the induction of ulcer. All the three doses of CLE caused significant reduction in ulcer lesion index in comparison to vehicle treated group, thereby providing evidence for ulcer healing capacity. In addition to this, post treatment with CLE resulted in significant increase in the level of hexoses, sialic acid; enzymic antioxidants i.e. super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), with decrease in lipid peroxidase (LPO) levels. The presence of the flavonoids and polyphenols may be responsible for the gastro-healer effect of CLE and can be used as gastroprotective agent in the therapy of ulcer.