Asian Journal
Of Traditional Medicines

Abstract: The effect of the natural flavonoid, rutin, was assessed in different acute and chronic gastric ulcer models in rats. Rutin, 50–200 mg/kg, was administered orally, twice daily for 5 days, and showed a dose-dependent ulcer protective effect on pylorus ligation (22.22 %–53.47 % protection, P<0.05), aspirin (27.95 %–58.06 % protection, P<0.05), cold restraint stress (25.51 %–77.77 % protection, P<0.001), and acetic acid (20.0 %–84.37 % protection, P<0.05–0.001)–induced acute and chronic ulcers. In addition, rutin offered protection (28.11 %–76.03 %) against ethanol-induced depletion of gastric wall mucus and it also reduced the ulcer index with a significant decrease in plasma corticosterone (25.80 % and 39.09 % protection, P<0.05), LPO (20.41 % and 53.06 % protection, P<0.01 and P<0.001), SOD (15.92 % and 26.51 % protection, P<0.05 and P<0.001) and increased catalase (25.95 % and 69.73 % protection, P<0.05 and P<0.001) activity. These results show that rutin has a significant ulcer protective activity by scavenging the reactive oxygen species produced by gastric damage.

Key words: Rutin, antiulcer, antioxidants, flavonoid