BIOCHEMICAL-STUDIES EVALUATING THE ANTIULCEROGENIC POTENTIAL OF OCIMUM-SANCTUM IN EXPERIMENTALLY-INDUCED PEPTIC-ULCERS IN RATS

The effect of pretreatment with Ocimum sanctum, an herbal drug, on HCl -ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats was investigated with respect to acid/pepsin, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant status, and glycoprot eins in the gastric mucosa. The increase in volume and acidity of the gastric juice and the decrease in peptic activity in HCl-ethanol-expos ed mucosa were maintained at near normalcy in O. sanctum-pretreated mu cosa. The increase in lipid peroxidation, decrease in activity of anti oxidants in the ulcerated rats were maintained at normalcy in the pret reated rats. Decrease in protein and glycoprotein of the ulcerated muc osa were found to be maintained to near normal in O. sanctum-treated m ucosa. These results suggest that by virtue of its ability to decrease acidity and increase the mucosal defense, the use of O. sanctum as an antiulcerogenic agent is justified.