Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats: Gastroprotectivity of Muscari neglectum in Water

<b>Background and Objectives:</b> The plant <i>Muscari Mill</i>. is employed in both raw and cooked forms for the treatment of gastric diseases, as an expectorant, and for the treatment of warts and the enhancement of urine. A review of the scientific literature revealed no studies investigating the effect of <i>Muscari neglectum</i> (MN) water extract on gastric diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a water extract of the MN plant on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats, using a series of biochemical (SOD, CAT, GSH and MDA levels) and histopathological parameters. <b>Methods:</b> 60 male Sprague Dawley rats were utilized for the purposes of evaluating the acute toxicity and gastric ulcer models, with a total of 36 rats employed for these experiments (n = 6). The rats were divided into six groups: intact; indomethacin; famotidine; indomethacin and MN (100, 200, 400 mg/kg). <b>Results:</b> The Gastric tissue examinations at biochemical, macroscopic and pathological levels showed that MN extracts effectively prevented indo-methacin-induced gastric mucosal damage. The 400 mg/kg dose exhibited the most effective antiulcer effect, with a 69% protective efficacy. This dose caused an increase in the SOD, CAT and GSH levels and a decrease in the MDA levels compared to the IND group. Furthermore, an LC-MS/MS analysis was conducted on the water extract of MN, resulting in the identification of 14 phenolic compounds. <b>Conclusions:</b> Biochemical analyses and histopathological examinations demonstrated that the water extract of MN exhibited a beneficial protective effect against gastric ulceration due to its high antioxidant content.