Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-ulcer activity of a methanol extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaf (MEBP). Materials and Methods: MEBP was administered at doses of 100, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg and its effects on acute toxicity, absolute ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration, and pyloric ligation tests in rats were investigated. Results: At a dose of 5,000 mg/kg, MEBP did not cause any signs of toxicity in rats when given orally. Oral administration of MEBP exerted anti-ulcer activity (p < 0.05) in all models tested. However, a dose-dependent protection was observed only in the indomethacin-induced gastric ulceration model. Histological studies supported the observed anti-ulcer activity of MEBP. In the pyloric ligation assay, MEBP significantly increased gastric wall mucus secretion (p < 0.05), but did not affect the acidity of the gastric contents. Conclusion: MEBP exhibited anti-ulcer activity, which could be due to the presence of flavonoids, saponins or other polyphenols, thereby validating the traditional use of B. purpurea in the treatment of ulcers.

Keywords:
Polyphenols, Bauhinia purpurea, Methanol extract, Anti-ulcer activity, Flavonoids, Saponins
1.
Janardhanan K, Vadivel V, Pugalenthi M: Biodiversity in Indian underexploited/tribal pulses; in Jaiwal KP, Singh RP (eds): Improvement Strategies for Leguminosae Biotechnology. Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Press, 2003, pp 353–405.
2.
Zakaria ZA, Wen LY,, Abdul Rahman NI, Abdul Ayub AH, Sulaiman MR, Gopalan HK: Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties of the aqueous extract of Bauhinia purpurea leaves in experimental animals. Med Princ Pract 2007;16:443–449.
3.
Mukherjee KPK, Gopal TK, Subburaju T, Dhanbal SB, Duraiswamy B, Elango K, Suresh B: Studies on the anti-diarrheal profiles of Bauhinia purpurea L. leaves (Caesalpiniaceae) extract. Nat Prod Sci 1998;4:234–237.
4.
Zakaria ZA, Abdul Rahman NI, Wen LY, Abdul Ayub AH, Sulaiman MR, Mat Jais AM, Gopalan HK, Fatimah CA: Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the chloroform extract of Bauhinia purpurea (Leguminosae) leaves. Int J Trop Med 2009;4:140–145.
5.
Boonphong S, Puangsombat P, Baramee A, Mahidol C, Ruchirawat S, Kittakoop P: Bioactive compounds from Bauhinia purpurea possessing antimalarial, antimycobacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. J Nat Prod 2007;70:795–801.
6.
Zakaria ZA: Free radical scavenging activity of some plants available in Malaysia. Iranian J Pharmacol Ther 2007;6:87–91.
7.
Zakaria ZA, Rofiee MS, Teh LK, Salleh MZ, Sulaiman MR, Somchit MN: Bauhinia purpurea leaves extracts exhibited in vitro antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. Afr J Biotechnol 2011;10:65–74.
8.
Panda S, Kar A: Withania somnifera and Bauhinia purpurea in the regulation of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in female mice. J Ethnopharmacol 1999;67:233–239.
9.
Jatwa R, Kar A: Amelioration of metformin-induced hypothyroidism by Withania somnifera and Bauhinia purpurea extracts in type 2 diabetic mice. Phytother Res 2009;23:1140–1145.
10.
Mohamed EA, Lim CP, Ebrika OS, Asmawi MZ, Sadikun A, Yam MF: Toxicity evaluation of a standardised 50% ethanol extract of Orthosiphon stamineus. J Ethnopharmacol 2011;133:358–363.
11.
Noor SM, Mahmood AA, Salmah I, Philip K: Prevention of acute gastric mucosal lesions by Rafflesia hasseltii in rats. J Anim Vet Adv 2006;5:161–164.
12.
Abdulla MA, Al-Bayaty FH, Younis LT, Abu Hassan MI: Anti-ulcer activity of Centella asiatica leaf extract against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. J Med Plant Res 2010;4:1253–1259.
13.
Nwafor PA, Okwuasaba FK, Binda LG: Antidiarrhoeal and antiulcerogenic effects of methanolic extract of Asparagus pubescens root in rats. J Ethnopharmacol 2000;72:421–427.
14.
Shay H, Komarov SA, Fels SS, Meranze D, Gruenstein M, Siplet H: A simple method for the uniform production of gastric ulceration in the rat. Gastroenterology 1945;5:43–61.
15.
Corne SJ, Morrisey SM, Woods RJ: A method for the quantitative estimation of gastric barrier mucus. J Physiol 1974;242:116–117.
16.
Ikhiri K, Boureima D, Dan-Kouloudo D: Chemical screening of medicinal plants used in the traditional pharmacopoeia of Niger. Int J Pharmacog 1992;30:251–262.
17.
Bighetti AE, Antonio MA, Kohn LK, Rehder VLG, Foglio MA, Possenti A, Vilela L, Carvalho JE: Antiulcerogenic activity of a crude hydroalcoholic extract and coumarin isolated from Mikania laevigata Schultz Bip. Phytomedicine 2006;12:72–77.
18.
Rachchh MA, Jain SM: Gastroprotective effect of Benincasa hispida fruit extract. Indian J Pharmacol 2008;40:271–275.
19.
Nordmann R: Alcohol and antioxidant systems. Alcohol Alcohol 1994;29:513–522.
20.
Swarnakar S, Ganguly K, Kundu P, Banerjee A, Maity P, Sharma AV: Curcumin regulates expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases 9 and 2 during prevention and healing of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer. J Biol Chem 2005;280:9409–9415.
21.
Wallace JL: Prostaglandins, NSAIDs, and gastric mucosal protection: why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? Physiol Rev 2008;88:1547–1565.
22.
Aly AM, Al-Alousi L, Salem HA: Licorice: a possible anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer drug. AAPS PharmSciTech 2005;6:E74–E82.
23.
Vishwakarma SL, Goyal RK: Hepatoprotective activity of Enicostemma littorale in CCl4-induced liver damage. J Nat Rem 2004;4:120–126.
24.
Singh S, Khajuria A, Taneja SC, Khajuria RK, Singh J, Johri RK, Qazi GN: The gastric ulcer protective effect of boswellic acids, a leukotriene inhibitor from Boswellia serrata in rats. Phytomedicine 2008;15:408–415.
25.
Khare S, Asad M, Dhamanigi SS, Prasad VS: Antiulcer activity of cod liver oil in rats. Indian J Pharmacol 2008;40:209–214.
26.
Yadav S, Bhadoria BK: Two dimeric flavonoids from Bauhinia purpurea. Indian J Chem 2005;44B:2604–2607.
27.
Ragasa CY, Hofilena JG, Rideout J: Secondary metabolite from Bauhinia purpurea. Philippine J Sci 2004;133:1–6.
28.
Tsimogiannis D, Samiotaki M, Panayotou G, Oreopoulou V: Characterization of flavonoid subgroups and hydroxy substitution by HPLC-MS/MS. Molecules 2007;12:593–606.
29.
Raj Narayana K, Sripal Reddy M, Chaluvadi MR, Krishna DR: Bioflavonoids classification, pharmacological, biochemical effects and therapeutic potential. Indian J Pharmacol 2001;33:2–16.
© 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel
2012
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.