In vivo Anti-Ulcerogenic Activity of Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. Extracts Used in Turkish Folk Medicine

The aerial part of Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. is used against various conditions including stomachache and peptic ulcer in Turkish folk medicine. In order to prove the claimed anti-ulcerogenic potential of the plant, aqueous and methanol extracts were prepared from aerial parts of E. telmateia and investigated for their anti-ulcerogenic effect on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. Pharmacological experiments clearly demonstrated that the oral administration of both methanol and aqueous extracts of Equisetum telmateia Ehrh. plant showed significant stomach protection (77.9% and 100% ulcer inhibition, respectively) against the applied model of ulcerogenesis (P < 0.001). Since both extracts were found significantly active, 80% ethanol was preferred for the extraction of the plant material and this crude methanolic extract was further fractionated by successive solvent extractions with chloroform and H2O saturated n-BuOH to obtain the chloroform and n-BuOH extracts as well as the remaining aqueous extract. The 80% ethanol extract and the solvent extracts were then submitted to pharmacological assay using the same in vivo experimental ulcer model. All the extracts statistically showed potent anti-ulcerogenic effect on this model (P < 0.001). However, the remaining aqueous extract was found prominent (98.2% ulcer inhibition). Consequently. folkloric utilization of E. telmateia on peptic ulcer has been confirmed in the present study by using ethanol-induced experimental ulcer model in rats.