Novel gastroprotective activity of basella alba mucilage-based hydrogel beads on diclofenac sodium induced gastric ulcer

Natural polysaccharides are emerging gastro-protective agents that need extensive characterization and subsequent commercialization. Diclofenac sodium, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is generally used as a model drug to induce gastric ulcers experimentally. Therefore, in the present study, Basella alba mucilage is modified to form hydrogel beads, and its gastro-protective potential is judged by incorporating Diclofenac sodium in it and administered orally to Swiss albino rats at an equivalent weight of 50mg Diclofenac sodium/ kg bw for ten days. The results were compared with the rats administered Diclofenac sodium (50 mg/kg bw) and with the group of rats administered Diclofenac sodium (50mg/kg bw) and Pantoprazole (10mg/kg bw). Another group of rats were administered blank hydrogel beads, and another group served as control. The gastro-protective property was evaluated from the gastric secretory parameters, ulcer index, biochemical tests, and histopathology studies. The administration of Basella alba mucilage-based hydrogel beads in rats decreased the ulcer index, total and free acidity, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide level, and myeloperoxidase activity. It elevated the level of enzymic antioxidants and increased gastric juice's pH significantly compared to the Diclofenac-treated rats. All the evaluated parameters showed similar results for the rats treated with Diclofenac sodium-loaded Basella alba mucilage beads and those treated with Diclofenac sodium and Pantoprazole, with no significant differences. The histopathology analysis also supports the gastro-protective property of the beads. Thus, Basella alba mucilage-based hydrogel beads can be a promising gastro-protective agent against Diclofenac sodium-induced gastric ulcers.