Purpose:
DAS-77 is a phytomedicine that contains the dried bark of
Mangifera indica
and root of
Carica
papaya
. This study investigated the antiulcer effects of DAS-77 in rats.
Methods:
DAS-77 was administered orally twice daily for five consecutive days at doses of 50 - 400
mg/kg. Ulcer was induced in rats with ethanol, indomethacin, pylorus ligation (PL) and cold restraint
stress (CRS). Ulcer scores were recorded based on examination of excised stomachs. Estimations of
gastric content volume, pH and titratable acidity in the PL model and determination of the levels of
antioxidants and malondialdehyde (MDA) in gastric tissues in the CRS model were also done.
Results:
In all the models, DAS-77 produced significant dose-dependent reductions in ulcer score.
Peak effects were produced at the dose of 400 mg/kg with ulcer inhibition values of 98.57, 76.23, 99.28
and 96.70 % compared to 100.00, 93.79, 98.92 and 96.79 % for misoprostol/cimetidine, respectively, for
the ethanol, indomethacin, PL and CRS models. In the PL model, DAS-77 caused a significant increase
in pH of gastric content but a reduction in volume and titratable acidity. At doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg in
the CRS model, DAS-77 significantly increased the level of reduced glutathione (GSH) and diminished
MDA.
Conclusion:
The results obtained in this study suggest that DAS-77 possesses gastroprotective activity
possibly due to reduced gastric secretion and acidity, and antioxidant activity.
