Abstract

BADILLA, Beatriz; MIRANDA, Tatiana; MORA, Gerardo  and  VARGAS, Kattia. Actividad gastrointestinal del extracto acuoso bruto de Quassia amara (Simarubaceae). Rev. biol. trop [online]. 1998, vol.46, n.2, pp.203-210. ISSN 0034-7744.

The gastrointestinal activity of an aqueous extract of the dry wood of Quassia amara was investigated using animal models. Oral administration of the extract to mice produces an increase of gastrointestinal transit at doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg. The antiulcerogenic activity was measured inducing ulcers on Sprague-Dowly rats with indomethacin or ethanol and by the induction of stress. The experimental group was treated orally with the extract, using doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg before inducing the ulcers. Animals treated orally with 0.5 ml of water and ranitidine (50 mg/kg) were used as controls. All the animals treated with the extract at doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg showed important protection against ulcer generation. Piloric ligation was used to stablish the activity on total acidity, peptic activity, non-protein sulfhydryl groups, and mucus production. Animals treated with 1000 mg/kg showed a reduction on acidity and peptic activity. No activity was detected on mucus production and non-protein sulfhydryl groups at these dosis but with 1500 mg/kg they showed an increase non-protein sulfhydryl groups producction.

Keywords : Quassia amara; Phytopharmacology; medicinal plants; gastrointestinal activity; anti-ulcerogenic activity.