Gastric Ulcerogenic Activities Of Piper guineense Extract In Rats

Abstract

Administration of Piper guineense fruit extract caused a dose – dependent mortality rate in rats. Doses of 200 mgkg^-1 intravenously, (i.v); 300 mgkg^-1 intraperitoneally, (i.p) and 3200 mgkg^-1 orally( p.o) produced 100% mortality rate – giving LD₅₀ of 85.1 mgkg^-1 i.v ; 224 mgkg i.p and 1122 mgkg^-1 p.o respectively. Piper extract significantly stimulated gastric ulceration, total gastric acidity and in situ gastric acid secretion in rats. Piper-induced gastric ulceration appears to be similar to that induced by indomethacin (40 mgkg^-1 b.w). Atropine produced no effect on the stimulatory action of piper on gastric acid secretion. However, gastric acid secretion in the presence of histamine, and cimetidine appears to be augmented by piper extract (25 mgkg^-1 b.w). The results suggest that piper could stimulate gastric acid secretion (and probably gastric ulceration) via the H₂ – receptor potentiation.

Key words: Piper guineense, ulceration, rats

Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences Vol.18(1-2) 2003: 27-30