Effect of some Sitavirya drugs on gastric secretion and ulceration.

Four Sitavirya plants viz. Satavari (fresh root juice, 1250 mg/kg), Yastimadhu (water decoction of root, 600 mg/kg), Kutaja and Aswattha (water decoctions of bark; 400 and 500 mg/kg respectively) were studied for their effects on different models of gastroduodenal ulcers in rats, when given orally for 3 days. All of them were found to protect the animals against 2 hr cold restraint stress and pylorus ligation-induced gastric and cysteamine-induced duodenal ulcers. However, they were ineffective against acute aspirin-induced gastric ulcers. The antiulcerogenic effect could be due to their inhibitory effect on offensive acid-pepsin secretion and augmentation of mucosal defensive factors in terms of enhanced mucin secretion and decreased cell shedding.