STUDIES ON THE POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF THE GASTRIC-MUCOSAL PROTECTION BY CALOTROPIS-PROCERA - INVOLVEMENT OF 5-LIPOXYGENASE PATHWAY

The role of chloroform fraction of Calotropis procera root extract on different experimental ulcer models in rats was investigated. The extr act demonstrated significant anti-ulcer activity against aspirin, indo methacin, ethanol, indomethacin + ethanol, or stress-induced ulceratio ns. Significant inhibition of gastric secretory volume and total acidi ty in pylorus ligated rats were observed to occur with the extract. It was also observed that the mot extract significantly inhibited arachi donic acid metabolism induced by soyabean lipoxygenase. The results su ggest that the anti-ulcer activity of the extract might be attributabl e to the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). (C) 1998 Elsevier, Paris .