Effects of Ya-hom on the gastric secretion in rats

The effects of Ya-hom, Thai traditional recipe, on gastric-secretory function was evaluated to verify its use for stomach discomfort treatment. The actions of Ya-hom on the gastric acid, pepsin and mucus secretions were studied in histamine- and carbachol-induced gastric fistula rats. After the first hour of collection, histamine (10 mg/kg, intramuscular injection) or carbachol (20 microg/kg, intravenous injection) were injected to stimulate gastric secretion, and water or redissolved lyophilized Ya-hom extract (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 g/kg) were intraduodenally injected. The gastric samples were collected every hour for 5 h, at the end of which, the glandular part of the stomach was assayed for the visible mucus content. Ya-hom inhibited both histamine- and carbachol-induced gastric acid, pepsin and soluble mucus secretions in a dose-dependent manner. Ya-hom had a lower maximum inhibition on the acid-stimulating effects of the histamine than that of carbachol. Ya-hom had higher maximum inhibition on the pepsin and soluble mucus-stimulating effects of histamine than that of carbachol. Ya-hom also had a higher elevated effect on histamine-induced visible mucus than that of carbachol. This study reveals that Ya-hom inhibits the stimulatory effects of histamine and carbachol on the acid, pepsin and soluble mucus secretion but potentiates the visible mucus secretion. Attenuating gastric secretion by secretagogues and increasing gastric barrier effects are parts of Ya-hom's action on stomach discomfort treatment.