Antioxidant and gastroprotective activities of <i>Andrographis paniculata</i> (Hempedu Bumi) in Sprague Dawley rats

Abstract

Antioxidant and gastroprotective activities of aqueous and ethanolic extract of <i style="">Andrographis paniculata</i> leaves in rats have been reported. Sprague Dawley rats, 6 per group were used and rats in groups 1 to 6 were pretreated with (0.25% w/v) carboxymethyl cellulose (negative control, 5 ml/kg), 20 mg/kg omeprazole (positive control), (250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) of aqueous leaf extracts (APLAE) and (250 and 500 mg/kg) of ethanol leaf extracts (APLEE) respectively. Animals were orally administered with 95% ethanol (5 ml/kg) 60 min after their pretreatments. Rats were sacrificed 1 h after treatment and gastric contents were collected to measure <i style="">p</i>H and mucous weight. Stomach was analyzed for gross and histological changes. Ulcer control group showed extensive lesions of gastric mucosal layer, whereas rats pretreated with omeprazole, 250 and 500 mg/kg of APLAE showed significant and dose dependent reduction in gastric lesions with increased <i style="">p</i>H and mucus content of stomach. Rats pretreated with 250 or 500 mg/kg of APLEE showed significantly better inhibition of gastric mucosal lesions. Further, the <i style="">in vitro</i> antioxidant studies using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that ethanol extracts have superior free radical scavenging activity with IC₅₀ value = 10.9 than aqueous extracts with IC₅₀ value = 24.65. Results of this study showed that pretreatment with ethonolic extract of <i style="">A. paniculata</i> ethanolic provided significant protection against gastric ulcer by regulating of <i style="">p</i>H, mucous production and antioxidant property.