Abstract

ACUTE TOXICITY AND ANTI-ULCER ACTIVITY OF POLYCORPAEA CORYMBOSA L. IN ALBINO WISTAR RATS

Polycorpaea corymbosa L. a member of the Caryophyllaceae family is used in Indian traditional medicinal system in inflammatory swellings and in treatment of ulcer, jaundice. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the acute oral toxicity and anti-ulcer profile of the Petroleum Ether Extract of Polycorpaea corymbosa L. (PPC) extract in albino rats. Study on acute toxicity of extract found to be safe at the doses 2000mg/kg body weight orally as per OECD guidelines No.423. PPC at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight orally was administered to evaluate anti-ulcer activity by using Ethanol, indomethacin, pyloric ligation (PL), and cold-restraint stress induced gastric ulcer models in Albino rats. Petroleum Ether Extract of Polycorpaea corymbosa L. dose dependent inhibition in Ethanol, indomethacin, pyloric ligation (PL), and coldrestraint stress induced gastric lesions in rats. All the results are found to be statistically significant (p≤0.05). Hence we suggest that Petroleum Ether Extract of the whole plant of Polycorpaea corymbosa L. possess anti-ulcer properties that may be due to cytoprotective mechanism. These results support the ethnomedical uses of the plant in the treatment of gastric ulcer.