Antiulcerogenic effects of Celosia trigyna plant extracts on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in adult Wistar rats

Phytochemical analysis led to the isolation of chondrillasterol, lutein, pheophytin a and chondrillasterol acetate. The in vitro results showed dichloromethane and hexane extracts to have maximum chymotrypsin inhibition relative to the standard (chymostatin) while in vivo results showed a significant increase in ulcer parameters of the vehicle control relative to groups treated with plant extracts (P < 0.05). Ulcer parameters and DNA density in groups treated with dichloromethane and hexane extracts were comparable to the negative control. Gross and histopathological findings confirmed gastric mucosa lesions in the vehicle control. There were mild ulcerations in groups treated with the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts with no observable ulcerations in the groups treated with dichloromethane and hexane extracts as the histoarchitectural outlines do not show any form of necrosis, distortion or cellular vacuolation. It was concluded that non-polar, hydrophobic compounds are able to remediate the degree of ulceration but not polar compounds.