Abstract
An aqueous suspension of ajowan "Carum copticum" was evaluated for its possible gastric antisecretory and antiulcer activities in various ulcer models in Wistar albino rats. The suspension at 250 and 500 mg kg/body weight, orally (i.p. in Shay rat model) has significant effect in pyloric ligation induced basal gastric acid secretion, indomethacin and noxious chemicals (80% ethanol, 0.2 M NaOH and 25% NaCl) induced gastric ulceration; showed significant protection in all models used. Histopathological assessment of gastric tissue and the determination of gastric wall mucus (GWM) and non protein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) contents of the stomach, characterized the protection of various indices and replenishing the depleted (GWM) and NP-SH levels by the suspension treatment, respectively. Conclusively, the ulcer protective effect of ajowan may possibly be due to its antisecretory along with antioxidative and cytoprotective effects through prostaglandins mediated mechanism.