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GASTROPROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF VITEX DONIANA LEAF FRACTIONS AGAINST ACETIC ACID INDUCED GASTRIC ULCER MODEL IN ALBINO RATS

OKECHUKWU STEVEN ONWUKWE *, NKIRUKA CHINONYELUM AZUBUIKE, PETER UWADIEGWU ACHUKWU

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Vitex doniana is used traditionally for the treatment of various gastrointestinal ailments. This study was designed to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of different fractions of V. doniana against acetic acid induced gastric ulcers in rats. Diseases free Albino rats were used for the study. After 24 hours of recovery, treatment commenced for 14 days as follows – negative control received no treatment, positive control received 25 mg/kg body weight of omeprazole orally, groups 3 to 5 received 250 mg/kg body weight of ethyl acetate, methanol and hexane V. doniana fraction respectively. At the end of administration, the animals were sacrificed and the stomachs excised to measure the ulcerated areas. Histological and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate the ulcer healing degree in the excised gastric tissues. The results obtained showed that the methanol and hexane fractions caused significant healing of the ulcers with curative ratios of approximately 97% and 83% respectively (p < 0.05). Histochemical and immunohistochemical studies suggested that the fractions improved mucin distribution and angiogenesis.