Gastroprotective activity of essential oil of the Syzygium aromaticum and its major component eugenol in different animal models

Abstract

Syzygium aromaticum, a medicinal plant commonly known as clove, is used to treat toothache, respiratory disorders, inflammation, and gastrointestinal disorders. From the flower buds of S. aromaticum, it is possible to obtain an essential oil comprised of a mixture of aliphatic and cyclic volatile terpenes and phenylpropanoids, being eugenol as the main component. The aims of this study were: (1) to extract the essential oil of the flower buds of S. aromaticum, (2) to identify and quantify the main component of the essential oil, and (3) to evaluate its antiulcer activity using different animal models. Assays were performed using the following protocols in rats: indomethacin-induced and ethanol/HCl-induced ulcer model. Both essential oils from S. aromaticum and eugenol displayed antiulcer activities in the rat models of indomethacin- and ethanol-induced ulcer. Studies focusing on the possible mechanisms of gastroprotection were also undertaken using the following experiments: evaluation of gastric secretion by the pylorus-ligated model, determination of mucus in gastric content, participation of nitric oxide (NO) and endogenous sulfhydryl in gastric protection. The results show that there was no significant effect on the volume of gastric juice and total acidity. However, the quantification of free gastric mucus showed that the clove oil and eugenol were capable of significantly enhancing mucus production. With regard to the NO and endogenous sulfhydryls, the results demonstrated that the gastroprotection induced by clove oil and eugenol are not related to the activities of the nitric oxide and endogenous sulfhydryls. No sign of toxicity was observed in the acute toxicity study. In conclusion, the results of this study show that essential oil of S. aromaticum, as well as its main component (eugenol), possesses antiulcer activity. The data suggest that the effectiveness of the essential oil and eugenol is based on its ability to stimulate the synthesis of mucus, an important gastroprotective factor. However, further pharmacological and toxicological investigations are required to enable its use for the treatment of gastric ulcer.

Gastroprotective activity and mechanisms of action of <i>Bauhinia purpurea</i> Linn (Leguminoseae) leaf methanol extract

“…In the present study, the absence or reduction of NO level, which is due to the presence of L-NAME, failed to affect the 500 mg/kg MEBP-exhibited gastroprotection indicating the non-involvement of NO in the MEBP-produced gastroprotective activity. This kind of activity has been reported for several other gastroprotective compounds [19,20,21].…”

Chemical and Biological Aspects of the Essential Oil of Indian Cloves

“…Eugenol Antiviral 7,45 ; antiúlcera 37,46 ; antidiabético 47 ; afrodisíaco 48 ; antioxidante 6,49 ; antitumoral 6,50,51 ; anestésico e anti-inflamatório ; inibidor de edemas 39,40 ; fagorrepelente 39,62 ; anti-inflamatório 39,40 ; antitumoral 39,41 ; antialérgico 39,63 …”

“…Atribuiu-se o efeito gastroprotetor ao alto teor de flavonoides presentes no extrato e à diminuição acentuada do volume e da secreção gástrica ácida produzida pelo extrato. 46 Santin e colaboradores 37 sugerem que o eugenol é um eficaz gastroprotetor devido a sua capacidade de estimular a síntese de muco.…”

Medicinal formulations of a Kanda tribal healer – a tribe on the verge of disappearance in Bangladesh

“…Fever is often accompanied by pain; in that case, the use of spices containing eugenol in the Kanda healer's treatment of fever has scientific validity, for eugenol has analgesic properties (see above). Moreover, eugenol has been reported to possess gastroprotective activity (Santin et al, 2011). The fruits of E. cardamomum reportedly also demonstrated gastroprotective activity against gastric lesions induced by aspirin, ethanol and pyloric ligature in rats; the fruits are also used in the Unani system of medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders (Jamal et al, 2006).…”