Evaluation of the cytoprotective effects of anti-ulcer agents in acid-alcohol induced gastric ulceration in wistar rats

Adequate studies have been done using proton pump inhibitors and H2-receptor antagonist and only few studies for cyto-protective and gastric acid secretions have been done in Nigeria. Therefore this work studied the cyto-protective and gastric acid secretory effects of rabeprazole, ranitidine, omeprazole and cimetidine in wistar rats. 28 male wistar rats of weights 300 to 400 g were recruited and randomly divided into seven experimental groups of 4 rats each. Ulcers were induced via oral administration of a mixture acid alcohol (Ethanol and HCl). Group A: Ulcer alone; Group B: 20 mg/kg Rabeprazole + Ulcer; Group C: 20 mg/kg Rabeprazole + 20 mg/kg Ranitidine + Ulcer. Group D: Normal control group received clean drinking water ad libitium. Group E: 20 mg/kg Omeprazole + Ulcer. Group F: 20 mg/kg ranitidine + ulcer. Group G: 100 mg/kg cimetidine + ulcer. At the end of the treatment and induction, volume of gastric acid secreted, pH values, Ulcer index, stomach and body weights were analyzed statistically. There were significant decrease (P<0.05) in the volume of gastric acid secreted for the groups that received the ranitidine and rabeprazole compared to group A (ulcer alone). The pH values of the groups that received the proton pump inhibitors were neutralized at the end of the experiment which shows a better cyto-protective effects of the drugs and there were significant differences (P<0.05) among those groups E, F and G compared to group A. The animals with lesser stomach weights have more ulcers index compared to those with higher stomach weights. This research showed that groups treated with a combination of rabeprazole and ranitidine has a better potency for the management of gastric ulcer patients. Key words: Ulcer, acid-alcohol, Rabeprazole, Ranitidine, Omeprazole, Ranitidine, Wistar rats.