effects of aloe vera, camellia sinensis, hibiscus sabdariffa and sophora alopecuroides in rat model of indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer

background: evidences show that aloe vera (a. vera), camellia sinensis, hibiscus sabdariffa and sophora alopecuroides may prevent gastric ulcer induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids). objective: to examine the protective potential of these plants against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in the rat. methods: saline, a. vera leaf gel powder and 70% alcoholic extracts of the other 3 plants (100, 400, 800 mg/kg) and omeprazole (30 mg/kg) were gavaged to the groups of 10 animals for 4 consecutive days. gastric ulcers were induced by the onetime gavage of indomethacin (30 mg/kg). on the fifth day, each group was pretreated with physiological saline as control, extract (100, 400 or 800 mg/kg) or omeprazole (30 mg/kg) 30 min before the indomethacin administration. the animals were killed 6 h after the indomethacin administration. the stomachs were removed, opened along the greater curvature and washed in physiological saline. a person unaware of the type of treatment received by the animals examined the stomachs under a 3-fold magnifier. the areas and lengths of hemorrhagic lesions induced by indomethacin were measured using a dial caliper and the sum of measurements for each animal was referred to as the ulcer index. results: all doses of the a. vera leaf gel powder and extracts reduced the ulcer index significantly compared to the control group (p < 0.05). conclusion: these plants have protective effect against nsaid-induced gastric ulcer in the rat. the a. vera leaf gel seems noticeably more effective than the other 3 plants in this respect.