ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to search the effective ratio of whole plant of Fumaria vaillantii Loisel (Fumaria vaillantii L.) and fruit of Benincasa hispida Thunb. (Benincasa hispida T.) in composite form, namely "FVBH" for the management of hypochlorhydria along with iron deficiency in male albino rats. Hypochlorhydria refers to suppression of hydrochloric acid secretion by the stomach. Hypochlorhydria was induced by ranitidine in this study. We used four composite extracts of the mentioned plant and fruit with different ratios (1:1, 1:2, 2:1, and 3:2) for searching the most effective composite extract for the correction of hypochlorhydria. Gastric acidity is an important factor for iron absorption. Thus, hypochlorhydria causes iron deficiency in rat and it was prevented significantly by the extract treatment at the ratio of 1:1 of the said plant and fruit. The correction of iron deficiency by the composite extract was compared with iron supplementation to hypochlorhydric rat. It was found that preadministration followed by coadministration of FVBH-1 (1:1) able to prevent the ranitidine-induced hypochlorhydria and iron deficiency. The composite extract, FVBH-1 (1:1) significantly (P<0.05) increased the pepsin concentration, chloride level in gastric juice, iron levels in serum and liver along with blood hemoglobin level than other ratios used here. Hence, it can be concluded that FVBH-1 (1:1) is an effective herbal formulation for the management of hypochlorhydria and related iron deficiency.
ABSTRACT
Hypochlorhydria is a common problem in any age of people like other gastric disorders. It has so many etiologies such as sympathetic dominance, antiseretory drug use, excess sugar and refined foods, etc. In the present study, our objective was to search out the effective solvent extract of fruit of Benincasa hispida T. for the management of hypochlorhydria in model male albino rats. Hypochlorhydria was induced in rat as per standard method by oral administration of ranitidine. Different solvent extracts (Hydro-methanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous) of ripe fruit of B. hispida were prepared following the standard protocol. Various parameters in this concern like free acidity, total acidity, pH, pepsin concentration, chloride and vitamin C levels in gastric juice were measured by standard biochemical and titrimetric methods. It was found that pre-administration followed by co-administration of aqueous extract of B. hispida (ABH) resulted significant correction of ranitidine-induced hypochlorhydria in rat. This aqueous extract-treated group showed increased levels of vitamin C, pepsin, and chloride concentration in gastric juice as well as the antioxidant status significantly (P<0.05) in respect to other extract-treated groups. From the results, it can be concluded that the ABH has most effective anti-hypochlorhydric and antioxidative efficacy than other solvent extracts of said plant fruit.
