Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn proven to treat gastric ulcers BETTER than PPIs

Researchers have established the gastroprotective activity of Trichosanthes cucumerina Linn, a plant native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The findings of their study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, indicate that multiple factors work in concert to provide this benefit.

• The team looked at the ability of T. cucumerina to treat gastric ulcers and prevent further damage in the area. In particular, the goals of the study were two-pronged: It sought to identify the mechanisms behind the plant’s gastroprotective effect and measure which dose was the most efficient.
• Aerial parts of T. cucumerina were collected and extracts were diluted in hexane (HF), ethyl acetate (EF), butanol (BF), and water (aqueous) (AF) solutions.
• Researchers used the extracts on rats that had been treated with ethanol to induce a gastric ulcer. The solutions were evaluated based on their ability to reduce the ulcer index in the samples, as well as which solvent was most effective in mediating gastroprotection.
• From the results, EF administered at 75 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) had a higher gastroprotective effect, in comparison to reference drugs and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatments. Likewise, EF exhibited the highest values, in terms of gastroprotection, compared with other extracts.
• Rats treated with EF had significantly lower free acidity and gastric juice acidity – which were reduced by 45 and 48 percent from baseline, respectively. EF also improved mucus levels from the gastro mucosa.
• EF also had a potent antihistamine activity and contained a number of flavonoids and phenolic compounds.

The findings suggest that an ethyl acetate extract of T. cucumerina can reduce overall acidity and improve mucus content while exhibiting anti-histamine and antioxidant activities.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Karunakaran R, Thabrew MI, Thammitiyagodage GM, Galhena BP, Arawwawala LDAM. THE GASTROPROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ETHYL ACETATE FRACTION OF HOT WATER EXTRACT OF TRICHOSANTHES CUCUMERINA LINN AND ITS UNDERLYING MECHANISMS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 14 June 2017;17. (312). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1796-y