Rocket "Eruca sativa": A salad herb with potential gastric anti-ulcer activity

AIM: To validate gastric anti-ulcer properties of Rocket "Eruca sativa" on experimentally-induced gastric secretion and ulceration in albino rats. METHODS: Gastric acid secretion studies were undertaken using pylorus-ligated rats. Gastric lesions in the rats were induced by noxious chemicals including ethanol, strong alkalis, indomethacin and hypothermic restraint stress. The levels of gastric wall mucus (GWM), nonprotein sulfhydryls (NP-SH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were also measured in the glandular stomach of rats following ethanol administration. The gastric tissue was also examined histologically. The extract was used in two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight) in all experiments. RESULTS: In pylorus-ligated Shay rats, the ethanolic extract of Rocket "Eruca sativa L." (EER) significantly and dose-dependently reduced the basal gastric acid secretion, titratable acidity and ruminal ulceration. Rocket extract significantly attenuated gastric ulceration induced by necrotizing agents (80% ethanol, 0.2 mol/L NaOH, 25% NaCl), indomethacin and hypothermic restraint stress. The anti-ulcer effect was further confirmed histologically. On the other hand, the extract significantly replenished GWM and NP-SH levels, as well as the MDA level significantly reduced by extract pretreatment. CONCLUSION: Rocket extract possesses antisecretory, cytoprotective, and anti-ulcer activities against experimentally-induced gastric lesions. The anti-ulcer effect is possibly through prostaglandin-mediated activity and/or through its anti-secretory and antioxidant properties. (C) 2009 The WIG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.