Effect of unripe <i>Musa paradisiaca</i> fruit on haematology, ulcer indices and antioxidant enzymes in rats induced with gastric ulcer

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Unripe plantain may have some medicinal properties which are hitherto unknown.:  This study investigated the haematological changes, oxidative status as well as the ulcer-healing potentials of unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) fruit in aspirin-induced gastric ulcer in the Wistar rat. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four (24) male rats were divided into six groups of four rats each. Group 1 served as normal control while ulceration was induced with oral administration of aspirin (225 mg/200 g body weight) in Groups 2 – 6 and subsequently treated with varying doses of (200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg body weight of rats) of the ethanol extract of M. paradisiaca and omeprazole 5 mg/kg body weight of rats for 5 days. Results and Conclusion:  Induction of ulceration significantly (P < 0.05) increased the apparent body weight of the rats, which was not reversed by treatment with graded doses of ethanol extract of M. paradisiaca. There were no significant changes (P > 0.05) in platelets, lymphocytes, neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, red blood cell, hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations in all of the test groups when compared with the control. Administration of graded doses of M. paradisiaca ethanol extract reversed the activities of SOD and GPx to the normal control. Treatment with the extract also produced a non-significant (P > 0.05) increase in the MDA which was comparable with the positive control. There was a significant (P < 0.05), dose-dependent-decrease in the ulcer index in the groups administered varying doses of the extract compared with the untreated control, with the group administered 800 mg/kg B. wt. of extract presenting a mean value of 0.667 ± 0.33, which was more effective than the standard drug (2.33 ± 0.88). Furthermore, the group that was administered the highest dose of the ethanol extract showed the highest percentage ulcer inhibition (95.45 %) compared with the positive control (79.10 %).  This research showed that the ethanol extract of unripe Musa paradisiaca fruit possesses ulcer-healing potential and should be recommended as an ideal diet for individuals on high-risk category of gastric ulcer resulting from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) treatment.