MVSc

The study was~conducted in adult albino rats of either sex
to assess the comparative anti-ulcer effect of powder and
alcoholic extract of Ocimum sanctum (leaves), Musa (AAB group,
"Nendran", mature, unripe fruit) and Withania somnifera (root)
with Famotidine, at different dose levels given orally for
10 days and, 20 days after induction of gastric ulcers with
aspririn at the dose rate of 200 mg/kg body weight for 7 days



orally.


The doses of different plant preparation were fixed



arbitarily (Table 1) .



Table 1.


Doses of oc imum sanct um leaves, Musa (AAB group •. Nendran" )
mature and unripe fruit, withania somnifera root and Famotidine
(in mg/kg orally) were fixed as below



Plants


Alcoholic extracts
10 dayo treatment 20 days treatment


Powder
10 days treatment . 20 days treatment



Ocimum sanctum G( 1) G(2) G(3) G(4 ) G(5) G(6) G(7) G(8)
250 500 250 500 500 1000 500 1000
Nusa (MS group G(9) 0(10) G( 11) (3(12) G( 13) G( 14) G(15) G( 16)
Nendran) 500 1000 500 1000 1000 2000 1000 2000
Withania G(l7 ) G(18) G( 19) G(20) G(21) G(22) G(23) G(24 )
somnifera 250 500 250 500 500 1000 500 1000
Famotidine 10 days treatment F(10) 20 days treatment F(20)
40 mg/kg p.o 40 mg/kg p.o
Control group A (CG(A) I - Aspirin treated controls (200 mg/kg b.wt)
Control group B (CG(B) I - Natural healing for 10 days
Control group C (CG(C) I - Natural healing for 20 days
Control group A [CG(A)] was given aspirin at the dose rate
of 200 mg/kg body weight for 7 days and on the 8th day, the rats
were sacrificed and number of ulcers and severity (ulcer score)

were determined with the help of magnifying lens.


11
The ulcer



index and healing index were calculated based on the formulae:



Ulcer index =


Number of
ulcers


+ Ulcer +
score


% incidence
Number of animal



Ulcer index (control)
CG(A)
Healing index


Ulcer index
(control) CG(A)


Ulcer index
(drug)
x 100



The control group B [CG(B)] and control group C [CG(C)]
were administered aspirin orally for 7 days and they were
maintained by normal feeding and watering without any treatment
for 10 days and 20 days respectively to assess natural healing.
Famotidine was taken as standard drug and given orally at
the dose rate of 40 mg/kg body weight for 10 days and 20 days
respectively. The anti-ulcer activity of plants under study was
compared with Famotidine .
. Haematological parameters such a erythrocyte count, total
leukocyte count, differential count and haemoglobin count were
decermined to assess any changes in the haemogram.
Histopathological study was also conducted to evaluate the
severity of ulceration and healing process.
The result of the present study with O. sanctum leaf powder
and alcoholic extract showed that none of the experimental


groups produced statistically significant healing effects
comparable to Famotidine groups.
Observation with Musa (AAB group, "Nendran") unripe fruit
powder and alcoholic extract have indicated that all
experimental group under study with the plant have better
healing effect than control group for 10 days.
The alcoholic extract of Musa (AAB group, "Nendran") at the
dose rate of 1000 mg/kg body weight for 10 days, 500 mg/kg body
weight for 20 days and 1000 mg/kg body weight for 20 days
produced healing comparable to Famotidine at the dose rate of 40
mg/kg body weight for 10 days and 20 days respectively.
The result of healing obtained with W. somnifera root
indicate that alcoholic extracts at the dose rate of 250 mg/kg
body weight for 20 days and 500 mg/kg body weight for 20 days
and powder at the dose rate of 1000 mg/kg body weight for 20
days are comparable with Famotidine groups administered for 10
days and 20 days respectively. All other experimental group
under study with this plant produced healing comparable to
Famotidine administered for 10 days.
Haematological study revealed no significant change and all
values fall within the normal range of blood value for the
species under study.
Histopathological study revealed various ulcer lesions and
healing process.