Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Biochemistry

Background and Objective : Bombax ceiba and Ziziphus spina christi are medicinal plants with remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory features. The current study aimed to investigate the protective and the curative effects of Bombax ceiba flower (BCF) and Ziziphus spina christi fruit (ZSCF) extracts against ethanol induced gastric injury in rats. Materials and methods : Gastric ulcer was produced by single oral dose of 5ml/kg absolute ethanol on 24 h empty stomach. One group of animals was left untreated as normal control (NC) group. Other animal groups received orally ranitidine 100 mg/kg/day, BCF 300 mg/kg/day or ZSCF 200 mg/kg/day for 7 days prior to ulceration (set A) or after ulceration (set B). All rats were sacrificed after 2 h in set A or after1 week in set B. Results: Each extract succeeded to attenuate the severity of ethanol gastric mucosal damage, decreased the elevated ulcer index and cell organelle marker enzymes.Both extracts suppressed gastric inflammation by curbing of tumor necrosis factor-Ü (TNF-Ü) levels along with interleukin 1Ý (IL-1Ý) and halted gastric oxidative stress via inhibition of lipid peroxides with concomitant enhancement of glutathione (GSH) level. These favorable actions were parallel with increase in the gastric cytoprotective factors such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), nitric oxide (NO) and decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels. Conclusion: The foregoing findings accentuated the protective and curative actions of both extracts in ethanol gastric injury

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