Gastroprotective activity of the chloroform extract of the roots from Arctium lappa L

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology 2008-06, Vol.60 (6), p.795-801
• Main Authors: dos Santos, Ana C., Baggio, Cristiane H., Freitas, Cristina S., Lepieszynski, Juliana, Mayer, Bárbara, Twardowschy, André, Missau, Fabiana C., dos Santos, Élide P., Pizzolatti, Moacir G., Marques, Maria C. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Ulcer Agents - pharmacology; Arctium - chemistry; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Free Radical Scavengers - administration & dosage; Free Radical Scavengers - pharmacology; Gastric Acid - secretion; Gastric Mucosa - drug effects; Gastric Mucosa - metabolism; Gastrointestinal Motility - drug effects; Medicine, Traditional; Mice; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Stomach Ulcer - prevention & control
• ISSN: 0022-3573; 2042-7158
• DOI: 10.1211/jpp.60.6.0016

Arctium lappa L. is used in folk medicine as a diuretic, depurative and digestive stimulant and in dermatological conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect and the possible mechanisms involved in the gastroprotective effects of a chloroform extract (CE) of the roots from A. lappa and its fractions. Oral pretreatment with CE (10, 30 and 100 mgkg−1) significantly reduced gastric lesions induced by ethanol by 61%, 70% and 76%, respectively. Oral administration of CE (100 mgkg−1 per day for 7 days) reduced the chronic gastric ulceration induced by acetic acid by 52%. Intraduodenal CE (100, 300 and 600 mgkg−1) reduced the total acidity of gastric secretion by 22%, 22% and 33%, respectively, while i.p. administration (10, 30 and 100 mgkg−1) inhibited total acidity by 50%, 60% and 67%, respectively. In‐vitro, CE inhibited H+, K+‐ATPase activity with an EC50 of 53 μgmL−1 and fraction A (30 and 100 μgmL−1) reduced this by 48% and 89%, respectively. CE had no effect on gastrointestinal motility. CE (250 μgmL−1) and fraction B (100 and 250 μgmL−1) had free‐radical scavenging ability, inhibiting 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical activity by 50%, 20% and 55%, respectively. Collectively, the results show that the CE protects animals from gastric lesions by reducing gastric acid secretion via inhibition of gastric H+, K+‐ATPase.