Anti-ulcer and antioxidant activity of Normacid, a herbomineral formulation

Effect of various doses (125, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg, po) of Normacid was studied on gastric secretion and gastric ulcers in pylorus-ligation and on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. The reduction in ulcer index in both the models along with the reduction in total acidity and an increase in the pH of gastric fluid in pylorus-ligated rats proved the anti-ulcer activity of Normacid. The increase in the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, reduced glutathione and membrane bound enzymes like Ca2+ ATPase, Mg2+ ATPase and Na+K+ ATPase and decrease in lipid peroxidation in both the models showed the antioxidant activity of the formulation. Thus it can be concluded that the anti-ulcer activity shown by Normacid may be due to the modulation of defensive factors by improvenent in gastric cytoprotection and partly due to antioxidant property.