Effect Of The Methanol Extract Of The Leaves Of Musa Paradisiaca On Indomethaciin-Induced Gastric Ulcer In Rats

ABSTRACT

In human history, numerous plants have been the basis for medicinal treatment and such plants are still widely in use today such as the leaves of M paradisiaca. The objectives of this work were to determine the phytochemical constituents, acute toxicity, Effect of the methanol extract of the leaves of M pciradisiaca on ulcer index and curative ratio. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed that the extract contained alkaloids, flavonoids, reducing sugars, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, proteins, steroids, terpenoids and fats and oil but resins, glycosides and acidic compounds were not detected in the extract. The extract at the tested doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w) caused significant (p < 0.05) and dose-dependent decreases in the ulcer indices of the rats in the test groups compared to the value obtained for the rats in the control group. The effect of the extract at the dose of 400 mg/kg b.w was comparable to those of the standard anti-ulcer drug famotidine at the dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. In conclusion, the results lend support to the use of leaves of M paradisiaca in folk medicine for the cure of gastric ulcer.