Combined Effects of Medicinal Plants on Induced Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Injury in Wistar Rats

BACKGROUND Herbal medicines are now recently used as treatment options. This study was conducted to determine the effect of the combination therapy of medicinal herbs in the treatment of induced gastrointestinal injury among albino wistar rats. METHODS A total of 60 Albino Wistar rats of both sexes weighing between 130g-150g were used. The control groups which consisted of negative control groups received 1ml of normal saline while the positive control group was given 20mg/kg of indomethacin and sacrificed after 6 hours. Those in the test group were given 20mg/kg of indomethacin, treated in different doses of single and combined extracts of Allium sativum, Brassica oleracea and Aloe barbadensis at 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg body weights, twice daily for 8 days and sacrificed. RESULTS There was no visible sign of ulceration or perforation observed on the stomach and duodenum when compared with the control. The combination of all three plant extracts at different concentrations ranging from 100 - 300mg/kg cleared all visible ulcers and perforations on the stomach of wistar rats. Similarly, all ulcers in the duodenum of indomethacin induced wistar rats were cleared by the combination of the three extracts. The sections of rat stomach and duodenum given 100mg/kg herbal cocktail and indomethacin showed normal mucosa. CONCLUSIONS A mixture of the three herbs at 300mg/kg was better in healing gastric and duodenal ulcers. The mixture of the three plants extracts exhibit good anti-ulcer activity that warrants further studies.