Histological Effect of Ethanolic Extracts of Fruits of Acacia nilotica and Flowers of Calotropis procera on Aspirin Induced Stomach Ulcer in Male Albino Rats

Aim: This study examined the histological effect of ethanolic extracts of fruits of Acacia nilotica and flowers of Calotropis procera on aspirin-induced stomach ulcer in male albino rats. Acacia nilotica fruits and Calotropis procera flowers are among the plant parts which are used in the treatment of ulcers by local folks in Wukari, Nigeria.

Study Design: Seventy healthy male albino rats were used in this study; they were randomly distributed into 7 groups of 10 animals each. The test animals were induced with ulcer using 500 mg/kg body weight of aspirin and then treated with Acacia nilotica fruits and Calotropis procera flowers for 5 and 14 days respectively.

Methodology: This study was carried out in two phases: stomach ulcer was induced in test animals using aspirin and treated for a period of 5 days and 14 days using ethanolic extracts of fruits of Acacia nilotica and flowers of Calotropis procera before sacrifice. The stomach of the animals was harvested, processed for histological investigation and photomicrographs taken.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Federal University Wukari, between August 2022 and January 2023.

Results: Photomicrograph of the gastric tissue of normal rats showed normal epithelial lining with mucosa and submucosa appearing unremarkable. Photomicrograph section of gastric tissue of rat administered aspirin only showed moderate ulceration of the epithelial lining. Photomicrograph of gastric tissues of rats administered both plant extracts showed moderate to severe ulcerations of the epithelial lining with unremarkable mucosa and submucosa.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that treatment of stomach ulcer in albino rats caused by administration of excess dose of aspirin with ethanolic extracts of fruits of Acacia nilotica and flowers of Calotropis procera did not heal the stomach ulcer in the albino rats after 5 days and 14 days treatment.