Effects of methanol, cyclohexane and methylene chloride extracts of Bidenspilosa on various gastric ulcer models in rats

Ethnobotanical studies have revealed that Bidens pilosa is used in the trad itional management of wounds and chronic gastro-duodenal ulcers. This led u s to screen the methanol, cyclohexane and methylene chloride extracts of th e plant for anti-ulcerogenic activity using the HCl/ethanol gastric necroti zing solution. The methylene chloride extract, which showed the highest act ivity (100% inhibition) at a dose of 750 mg/kg compared with the methanol a nd cyclohexane extracts (41 and 46% inhibition, respectively), was further tested using the indomethacin-HCl/ethanol-, absolute ethanol- and pylorus l igation-induced ulcer methods. Pre-treatment with indomethacin significantl y reduced the protective effect of the extract against HCl/ethanol solution to 31%. The extract had very little gastric mucosal protection against abs olute ethanol (9.8% inhibition at 750 mg/kg) compared with the controls and neither reduced gastric acid secretion in vivo nor the acidity of gastric juice following in vitro incubation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.