MELATONIN AUGMENTS THE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS LEAF HOMOGENATE OF TULSI (Ocimum sanctum L.) AGAINST PIROXICAM-INDUCED GASTRIC ULCERATION IN RATS

The effect of different doses of melatonin or aqueous Tulsi (Holy Basil) leaf homogenate (TLH) was studied against piroxicam-induced gastric ulceration in rats. Melatonin or TLH was found to protect the gastric mucosa individually following piroxicam treatment. Pre-treatment of rats with increasing doses of melatonin or TLH decreased the piroxicam-induced oxidative stress in the gastric tissue. Our studies also revealed that both melatonin (20 mg/kg BW i.p.) and TLH (100 mg/kg BW fed orally), individually, could not protect the gastric tissue from developing ulcers. However, when rats were pre-treated with melatonin and TLH in combination, at the doses at which neither was effective individually, the combined therapy completely prevented ulcers following piroxicam treatment. Melatonin and TLH in combination ameliorated the oxidative stress induced in the gastric tissue due to piroxicam by preventing the alterations in the bio-markers of oxidative stress and the activities and levels of antioxidant enzymes. The biochemical analyses were supported by macroscopic and microscopic studies of gastric tissue. Thus, the combination seems to work synergistically to reduce piroxicam-induced gastric damage in rats, strongly indicating that it may be a safe gastro-protective cotherapy especially, in situations where the use of anti-inflammatory drugs is the only choice.