Antioxidant and antiulcer activity of aqueous extract of a polyherbal formulation.

The aqueous extract of Hingwashtak churna was evaluated for gastroprotection in rats using the ibuprofen and ethanol induced ulcer models. Efficacy was assessed by determination of mean ulcer size, ulcer number and ulcer index. Oral administration of the aqueous extract (750 mg/kg) significantly protected against gastric lesions by 84.96% and 91.12% as compared to ranititidine (95.54 and 95.2%) in the ibuprofen and alcohol induced ulcer models respectively. The findings suggest that the significant gastroprotective activity could be mediated by its antioxidant activity which was evaluated by using different antioxidant models of screening.