Riaz MNA, Srinivas R Chennamaneni, and Srinivas Reddy Challa
Gloriosa Superba (Liliaceae) is a semi-woody herbaceous climber native of tropical Asia, Africa and reported by tribal people of India for its several clinical uses. Traditionally, the tubers and other parts of the plant are widely being used in the treatment of ulcers, piles, inflammation, abdominal pain, infertility, parasitic skin infections and leprosy. The present study was carried out to investigate the antiulcerogenic activity of ethanolic extract of Gloriosa superba L. tuberous rhizomes (GST) and compare with Zingiber officinale (rhizomes) and Glycyrrhiza glabra (roots) ethanolic extracts on experimental ulcers induced by aspirin (chemically induced ulcers) couple with stress and on pylorus ligation-induced ulcers in Wistar rats. The anthelmintic activity of various extracts of GST was also evaluated in vitro against two types of intestinal worms; a) Earthworms and b) Ascardia Galli (a parasitic roundworm). Test extracts were administered orally 60 and 30 min before for aspirin and pylorus ligation-induced ulcer models respectively. GST extract showed superior protection when compared with other test extracts on both the ulcer models tested. The extract significantly increased the pH and decreased both the volume and total acidity of gastric secretion in pylorus ligation-induced ulcer model. The antiulcerogenic effect exhibited by GST extract was comparable with ranitidine (standard drug) in particular at higher dose. Aqueous, alcoholic and chloroform extracts of GST showed significant anthelmintic activity in vitro against both types of intestinal worms. Therefore, the results indicate that the herbal preparations containing GST would be beneficial to treat gastric ulcers more effectively for improved clinical outcome.