PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, VOL.

9,463-465 (1995)

SHORT COMMUNICATION
Studies on the Antiulcer Activity of Moringa
oleifera Leaf Extract on Gastric Ulcer Models in
Rats

Saroj K. Pal, Pulok K. Mukherjee and B. P. Saha*

Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta-700 032, India

The methanol fraction of M. oleifera leaf extract was found to possess significant protective actions in
acetylsalicylic acid, serotonin and indomethacin induced gastric lesions in experimental rats. A significant
enhancement of the healing process in acetic acid-induced chronic gastric lesions was also observed with the
extract-treated animals

Keywords: Moringa oleifera; gastric ulcer models; antiulcer activity

was reached, a brownish substance was obtained and

INTRODUCTION
Moringa oleifera is a widely growing shrub in India. In
the traditional medicine system, different parts of the
shrub have been used to treat a variety of disease
conditions (Kirtikar and Basu, 1935; Bhattacharyya,
1973; Nadkarni, 1976). In the course of pharmacologi-
cal investigations, the antifertility activity of the
aqueous extract has been reported (Shukla et al., 1987;
Prakrash, 1988). The present work was undertaken to
investigate the effect of M . oleifera leaf extract on
models of acute and chronic gastric ulcers and lesions in
different experimental animals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant materid. The dried leaf of M . oleifera (Mor-
ingaceae) was collected locally and identified (The
Wealth of India, 1962) in our laboratory.
Preparation of leaf extract. Dried powdered leaves of M .
oleifera were extracted in a Soxhlet extraction appara-
tus with petroleum ether (60"-80 "C). The petroleum
ether extract was discarded and the defatted residue
was extracted with methanol. From this extract, on
evaporation of methanol in U ~ C U Ountil constant weight
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
stored at 4C (yield, 8% w/w with respect to dry
powdered material). Just prior to use the substance was
dissolved in physiological saline solution.
Experimental animals. Charles Foster rats maintained
under uniform laboratory conditions for at least 10 days
were used for experiments. Injections were made intra-
peritoneally, unless otherwise specified.
Preventive tests
Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) induced gastric lesions. Male rats
(150-200g), fasted for 24 h and allowed water ad
libitum, were divided randomly into groups of six
animals each. One group serving as control received
physiological saline (0.5 mL/animal) and the second
and third groups received M . oleifera extract at 100mg/
kg and 150 mg/kg respectively. An hour later acetylsa-
licylic acid (250 mg/kg) was administered orally. After
6 h, all the animals were killed, the stomachs removed
and opened along the greater curvature (Aguwa and
Ramanujam, 1984) and the ulcer spots were measured;
ulcer index and percentage inhibition were calculated
(Okabe et al., 1976).
Serotonin-inducedgastric lesions. Rats weighing 180-200 g
were fasted for 24 h and injected (i.p.) with the extract
(100mg/kg and 150mg/kg). After 10 min serotonin
creatinine sulphate (5HT) (20 mg/kg) was injected sub-
cutaneously into the animals. The animals were killed

Table 1. Effect of M. ofeifem on ulcers induced by acetylsalicylic acid (250 mglkg orally)
Animals having ulcer Gastric ulcer index Inhibition
Treatment Dose (mglkg) Number of rats (%I (mean f SEI (%)
Normal saline - 6 100 0.60k 0.02 -
M. oleifera 100 6 100 0.272 0.01' 55.00
M. oleifera 150 6 100 0.1320.05" 78.33
a p<O.OOl (versus control).

CCC 0951-418X/95/060463-03
0 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Accepted (revised) 3 October 1994
464 S . K. PAL ET A L

Table 2. Effect of M. oleifera on gastric lesions induced by serotonin (20 mg/kg s.c.) and indomethacin (20 mg/kg
orally) and on healing of gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid (0.05 mL of 30%acetic acid/animal, direct to
gastric wall)
Gastric lesion Gastric ulcer
Number Lesion index Inhibition Ulcer index Healing rate
Test model Treatment Dose animals *
(mean SE) (%) (meanfSE) 1%)
Serotonin Normal saline 0.5 rnLlanirnal 6 59.28k 4.68 - -
M. oleifera 100 mglkg 6 8.02f 1.27 86.47 - -
M. oleifera 150 mglkg 6 4.50f2.32 92.40 - -
lndornethacin Normal saline 0.5 mllanirnal 6 95.12k 10.11 - - -
M. oleifera 100 mglrng 6 13.28f 1.28 86.04 - -
M. oleifera 150 mglkg 6 10.67+2.37 88.78 - -
Acetic acid Normal saline 0.5 rnLlanirnal 6 - - 27.60f 3.57 -
M. oleifera 100 mglkg 6 - - 9.33k O X a 66.19
M. oleifera 150 mglkg 6 - - 7.34f O.!w 73.44
a p<O.OOl (versus control).

after 18 h. The stomach of each animal was examined Indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers. Female albino rats
for lesions in the glandular portion and the lesion index (130-160 g) were fasted for 24 h and the extract was
was calculated (Okabe et al., 1976). injected (i.p.) in doses 100mg/kg and 150mg/kg. An

Normal Saline (0.5ml/animal I

0.6
M.aleifcra (lOOrng/kgl.
M. oleifera (150mg/kgl.
(versus control by t- test 1.

t
E
05
0.4
v
-
L

0.3
.-U
L
c
Y)

s 0.2

0 .l

Figure 1. Effects of M. oleifera on gastric ulcers induced by Figure 3. Effect of M. oleifera on gastric lesions induced by
acetyl salicyclic acid (250rnglkg orally). indornethacin (20rnglkg orally).

Normal Saline (0.5ml/animalI.

13 Normal saline(0.5ml/onimall. mu.oleiferp(1wmg/kg1.
M.okifera(100mg/kgI m ~ . o l e i f e r aI150 rng/kg).
M . o W c r a (150mg/kg). P (versus control by t-test 1.
P (wrsus cantra~by t-test)
<O.Wl

Figure2. Effect of M. oleifera on gastric lesions induced by Figure4. Effect of healing of gastric ulcers induced by acetic
serotonin (20rnglkg s.c.). acid (0.05m l of 30% acetic acidlanirnal, direct to gastric wall).
 ANTIULCER ACTIVITY OF M. OLEIFERA
hour later indomethacin (20 mg/kg) was given orally.
All the animals were killed 5 h later, the stomachs
removed and examined for lesions in the corpus (Pillai
and Santhakumari, 1984).
Ulcer healing tests
Acetic acid ulcers in rats. Male rats (250-28Og) were
fasted overnight and under ether anaesthesia, laparo-
tomy was performed. The stomach was exposed and
0.05 mL of 30% acetic acid was injected into the gastric
wall. M. oleifera extract (100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg)
was given (i.p.) once a day for 10 consecutive days after
the operation. After this, the animals were maintained
under uniform diet and were killed on day 12, the
stomachs were removed and lesions were measured.
Then lesion index and healing rate were calculated
(Pillai and Santhakumari, 1984).
Statistical analysis. Data were statistically analysed using
Students t-test.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The methanol fraction of the leaf extract of M. oleifera
(hereafer referred to as the extract) in doses of
100 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, demonstrated significant
REFERENCES
Aguwa Cletus, N., and Ramanujam, T. R. (1984). Antiulcer
effects of trimipramine using various laboratory models.
Jpn J. Pharmacol. 36, 125-129.
Anonymous (1962). The Wealth of India, Vol. 6, pp. 426-429.
CSIR, New Delhi.
Bhattacharyya, S. (1973). Bharatiya Banoausudhi (Bengali),Vol.
1, pp. 291-294, Calcutta University.
Kirtikar, K. R., and Basu, B. D. (1935). lndian Medicinalflants, pp.
677. Bishen Singh and Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun.
Nadkarni, K. M., Nadkarni, A. K., and Chopra, R. N. (1954). The
lndian Materia Medica. Vol. 1, pp. 811-816. Popular
Prakashan, Bombay.
Okabe, S., Takata, Y., Takeuchi, S., Naganuma, T., and Takagi, K.
465
inhibition of acetylsalicylic acid induced gastric lesion
with a reduction of the ulcer index (Table 1, Fig. 1). In
serotonin-induced gastric lesions and indomethacin-
induced gastric ulcers, the extract (in doses of 100 mg/
kg and 150 mg/kg) was found to reduce significantly the
lesion index on both the test models (Table 2, Figs 2,
3). N o animal death was observed as a result of this
experiment.
The extract demonstrated impressive results in the
ulcer healing tests in rats. The administration of extract
(in doses of 100mg/kg and 150mg/kg) daily for 10
consecutive days caused a significant reduction in ulcer
index and significant improvement in the healing rate in
acetic-acid induced gastric ulcers in rats (Table 2, Fig.
4). Thus it is evident from the results of the present
experiment that the extract of M. oleifera prevented
gastric lesions induced by non-steroidal antiinflamma-
tory drugs (NSAID), e.g. acetylsalicylic acid and indo-
methacin, there was a significant suppression of seroto-
nin induced gastric ulcers by the extract. The chemical
constituents of the leaf extract of M. oleifera are under
investigation in our laboratory.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank CSIR (New Delhi) for financial support to
Saroj K. Pal for this work and D r (Mrs) M. Pal for her technical
assistance and Dr D. C. S. Raju of Botanical Survey of India,
Shibpur, Howrah, India for identifying the specimen.
(1976). Effects of carbenoxolone-Na on acute and chronic
gastric ulcer models in experimental animals. Am. J. Dig.
Dis. 21, 618-620.
Pillai, N. R., and Santhakumari, G. (1984). Effects of nimbidin on
acute and chronic gastroduodenal ulcer models in experi-
mental animals. flanta Med. 50, 143-146.
Prakash, A. (1988). Ovarian response to aqueous extract of M.
oleifera. fitoterapia 59 (2). 89-91.
Shukla, S., Mathur, R., and Prakash, A. 0. (1981). Effects of
aqueous extract of M . oleifera Lam. on the periodicity of
oestrous cycle in adult intact rats. lndian J. fharm. Sci. 49
(6). 218-219.