Gastroprotective activity of the resin from Virola oleifera

The resin from the trunk wood of Virola oleifera (Schott) A. C. Smith (Myristicaceae) is used in folk medicine to hasten wound repair and to treat pain and inflammatory conditions, and our previous report indicated the anti-oxidative properties in other oxidative stress model.

To investigate the protective effects of resin from V. oleifera in two experimental models of gastric ulcer oxidative-stress dependent.

Plant material was collected and the resin was subjected to partitioning with organic solvents. The buthanol fraction was subjected to chromatographic and spectrometric methods for isolation and structural elucidation. The resin was quantified for polyphenols and flavonoids by colorimetric methods. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of resin was determined by three different methods. The ulcers were induced acutely in Swiss male mice with ethanol/HCl and indomethacin using single-doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg. The gastroprotection of the experimental groups was comparable to reference control lansoprazole (3 mg/kg).

The high content of polyphenols (∼82%) and the presence of epicatechin and eriodictyol were determined. The LD₅₀ was estimated at 2500 mg/kg. At minimum (10 mg/kg) and maximum (100 mg/kg) dosage of resin, both in ethanol/HCl as indomethacin ulcer induction models demonstrate reduction of lesions (minimum: ∼97% and ∼66%; maximum: ∼95% and ∼59%).

The gastroprotection might be related to tannins, phenolic acids and flavonoids present in the resin by antioxidant properties.

The results indicate that this resin has gastroprotective activity probably associated with the presence of phenolic antioxidant substances.