Efficacy of Seabuckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) Oil vis-a-vis Other Standard Drugs for Management of Gastric Ulceration and Erosions in Dogs

The study was conducted on 20 adult healthy medium-sized mongrel dogs. Injection of dexamethasone @ 1 mg/kg, IV, b.i.d., was administered to create gastric ulcerations and erosions. Thereafter all the animals were randomly divided into 5 equal treatment groups. Animals of groups I, II, III, IV, and V were treated with oral administration of lansoprazole @ 1.5 mg/kg, sucralfate @ 1 g/animal, misoprostol @ 10 µg/kg, famotidine @ 1 mg/kg, and Seabuckthorn seed oil @ 5 mL/animal, twice a day, respectively. Gastroendoscopically, complete healing of GUE lesions was earliest in Seabuckthorn- (SBT-) oil-treated group (7.5 ± 0.87) followed by famotidine (8.25 ± 1.44), lansoprazole (9.00 ± 1.23), misoprostol (10.50 ± 1.50), and sucralfate (13.50 ± 0.87), respectively. A marked improvement in appetite was observed in all animals. Melena was continued till day 3 in SBT group, day 6 in lansoprazole- and famotidine-treated animals, and day 9 in sucralfate and misoprostol group animals. Fecal occult blood test was positive in all animals till there was endoscopic evidence of gastric bleeding. Hematological parameters improved markedly towards the end of the study. Serum biochemical parameters remained within normal physiological limits throughout the study. It is concluded that Seabuckthorn oil was the best therapeutic agent for dexamethasone-induced GUE in dogs followed by famotidine, lansoprazole, misoprostol, and sucralfate.