SCREENING OF SOME AFRICAN MEDICINAL-PLANTS FOR ANTIULCEROGENIC ACTIVITY .1.

Aqueous extracts of six plant species used in Cameroonian ethnomedicin e for the relief of stomach complaints were tested for antiulcer activ ity. An HCl/EtOH solution was used to induce gastric lesions in male W istar rats (140-190 g). The extracts of Voacanga africana. Eremomastax speciosa, Emilia praetermissa, Spilanthes filicaulis and Centella asi atica produced complete mucosal cytoprotection at a dose of 1000, 190, 500, 2000 and 500 mg/kg respectively. The extract of Clerodendrum spl endens (500, 750, 1000 mg/kg) showed significant (p<0.01) dose-depende nt cytoprotection (50%-75%) compared with the controls. A combination of C. asiastica and S. filicaulis (1:1) (250-500 mg/kg) did not reveal the therapeutic advantage of combining both plant extracts in the cli nical management of stomach ulcers. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .