Abstract

Nagilla sativa is a medicinal plant commonly used traditionally in the treatment of many aliments. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of ethanolic extracts of N. sativa ethanolic seed extract (NSESE) against absolute ethanol-induced gastric mucosal damage in experimental rats. The rats were divided into five groups, respectively pre-treated orally with 10% Tween 20 solution (ulcer control groups), omeprazole 20 mg/kg (reference group), 250, 500 and 750 mg/kg of NSESE (experimental groups) 1 h before oral administration of absolute ethanol to generate gastric mucosal damage. After an additional hour, the rats were sacrificed and the ulcer areas of the gastric walls were determined. The ulcer control group exhibited severe mucosal injury, whereas groups pre-treated with NSESE exhibited significant protection of gastric mucosal damage. These findings were also confirmed by histology of gastric wall. Significant increases in gastric mucus production and decrease in acidity of gastric content were observed in treated groups with NSESE compare to ulcer control group. These results concluded that the treatment withNSESE prior to absolute alcohol has significantly protect gastric mucosa as ascertained grossly by significant reduction of ulcer area, increases in gastric mucus production and decrease the acidity of gastric content and histology by comparatively decreases in gastric mucosal damage, reduction or absence of edema and leucocytes infiltration of submucosal layer compared to ulcer control group. NSESE was able to decrease the acidity of gastric and increase mucus production of gastric mucosa, there by justifying its use as an anti-ulcerogenic agent.

Key words: Nigella sativum, ulcer, cytoprotection, histology.