The Gastroprotective Effects of Papaya Seed Crude Extract on Aspirin Induced Gastric Ulcer in Mice

The seeds of carica papaya fruit have been studied for its gastroprotective action on patients with gastric ulcer due to its rich phytochemical constituents that have strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activity. The seeds of the newly cultivated in Iraq c.papaya plant were collected and extracted via Soxhlet apparatus using 70% aqueous ethanol. The ethanolic extract was phytochemically investigated to show the presence of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and saponins. Our in-vitro study model of the gastro protective action of the seed extract used aspirin for the induction of oxidative stress mediated ulcerative lesions in gastric mucosa of mice. Ulceration index (%) and acid output, pH, and gastric volume, oxidative stress levels and Proinflammatory cytokines (TNF) are the biochemical parameters measured in our assay. It was found that c.papaya extract decreased the level of ulceration index (39.67%) as compared with aspirin (121.34%) and (28.12%) of famotidine treated mice. In addition, the c.papaya seed extract showed statistically significant decrease (p < 0.05) in acid output, pH, and gastric volume, oxidative stress levels (MDA and SOD) and Proinflammatory cytokines (TNF) as compared with Aspirin treated mice. Further isolation of c.papaya phytochemical constituents is promising to identify additional pharmacologic actions