Effect of withafastuosin E on gastric mucosal offensive and defensive factors in rats

Withafastuosin E (WE), a withanolide of Datura fastuosa, has been reported to possess anti-stress activity and augment prostaglandins. The present investigation has been undertaken to evaluate the anti-ulcer activity and its mechanism in various models of experimentally induced ulcers in rats. WE (20 mg/kg, po) reduced the incidence of ulcer and ulcer index significantly in rats. The drug also decreased volume of gastric secretion, acid and peptic output, though it did not affect mucin secretion or mucosal glycoprotein content in terms of total carbohydrate:protein ratio or gastric cell shedding (in terms of gastric juice DNA content) or cell replication (in terms of microgram DNA/mg of protein). The results suggest significant anti-ulcer activity of WE which may be due to its effect on decreasing the offensive acid-pepsin factors.