Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Crotalaria Pallida Leaf in Wistar Rats

It is estimated by World Health Organization that, 80% of the world population must rely on traditional medicines for health care: these traditional medicines are mainly plant based. Most of the studies demonstrate the importance of natural products in drug discovery. The use of phytoconstituents as drug therapy to treat major ailments has proved to be clinically effective and less relatively toxic than the existing drugs. Peptic ulcer occurs due to an imbalance between aggressive (acid, pepsin) and defensive (gastric mucosal barrier) factors of gastric mucosa. Local mechanism implicated in mucosal hydrophobicity, rapid epithelial cell renewal and rich mucosal blood flow. PGE2 and PGI2 are predominant prostaglandins synthesised by the gastric mucosa and are known to be inhibit the secretion of gastric acid and stimulate the secretion of mucosa and bicarbonate. The treatment of peptic ulcer is directed against either reduction of aggressive factors or enhancement of mucosal defense of stomach and duodenum with cytoprotective agents. In India, PUD is common. In the Indian Pharmaceutical industry, antacids and antiulcer drugs share 6.2 billion rupees and occupy 4.3% of the market share. Today, there are two main approaches for treating peptic ulcer. The first deals with reducing the production of gastric acid and second with re-enforcing gastric mucosal barrier. A number of drugs including proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor antagonists are available for the treatment of peptic ulcer, but clinical evaluation of these drugs has shown incidence of relapses, side effects like arrhythmias, impotence, gynaecomastia, arthralgia, hypergastrinemia and haemopoetic changes and drug interactions. This has been the rationale for the development of new antiulcer drugs and the search for novel molecules has been extended to herbal drugs that offer better protection and decreased relapse. Drugs of plant origin are gaining popularity and are being investigated for a number of disorders, including peptic ulcer. As far as with ...