Croton zambesicus
Muell. Arg. is often used in traditional medicine by Ibibios of Niger Delta region of Nigeria
for the treatment of several diseases including gastrointestinal disorders especially ulcer. The antiulcer activity of the ethanolic
extract of the crude leaf extract was investigated against indomethacin, ethanol and histamine – induced ulcer models in rats.
The crude leaf extract of
Croton zambesicus (200 – 600mg/kg) significantly (p<0.001) inhibited chemically – induced ulcers in
rats. These effects may in part be due to phytochemical constituents of the extract. The results of this work suggest that the leaf
extract of
Croton zambesicus possesses antiulcer activity, supporting the ethnomedical use of the plant among the Ibibio tribe
of Niger Delta.
