EVALUATION OF ANTI -ULCER ACTIVITY OF Momordica Charantia IN RATS

Momordica charantia (Cucurbitaceae) is a plant, reported for its variety of ethnic medicinal uses. Hence we have planned to screen antiulcer activity of fruit of the plant with the alcoholic and aqueous extracts. Fruit powder successively extracted with alcohol and water were subjected for phytochemical screening to identify different phytoconstituents. Ld50 studies for both (alcoholic and aqueous) extracts were conducted upto the dose level of 2 g /kg by following OECD up and down method of guidelines No.425. Anti ulcer activity was evaluated in various animal models like Pylorus ligation , aspirin, Stress induced ulcer models in rats. Preliminary phytochemical studies revealed the presence of saponins, sterols, mucilage, glycosides, alkaloids, steroidal saponins in both the alcoholic and aqueous extracts of M.charantia. No mortality was observed with any of the 2 extracts up to the maximum dose level of 2 g/kg. Further alcoholic and aqueous extracts at 200 and 400 mg/kg, p.o but not with 100 mg/kg p.o doses significantly (P < 0.01) reduced the ulcer score, ulcer number, ulcer index, free acidity and total acidity in Pylorus ligation , aspirin, Stress induced ulcer models in rats.The present study revealed the antiulcer activity of fruit extracts of M.charantia and the activities are due to the presence of phytochemical constituents1,2,3 such as saponins, sterols, mucilage, glycoside, alkaloids, steroidal saponins as these phytochemical constituents were already reported for the above mentioned effects.