Preventive and Healing Effects of the Total Aqueous Extract of the Trunk Bark of Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P. G. Waterman (Rutaceae) on Gastric Acid Reflux and Non-reflux Induced Esophagitis in Rats

Zanthozylum gilletii is a medicinal plant well known for its richness in phytochemicals and its use in Côte d’Ivoire in the traditional treatment of burns in esophagus. However, its bioactive anti-reflux and non-reflux oesophagitis potential has not yet been scientifically proven. This work aims at evaluating the preventive and curative anti-esophagitis potential of a total aqueous extract of Z. gilletii trunk bark (TAEZg) in rats. Thirty-six rats were subjected to 24 hours fast and divided into six groups of six rats each were used for each model of esophagitis induction, in particular the preventive model (acute, chronic, chronic exposure to naproxen followed by forced swimming test) and the healing model. Rats received as a pretreatment (preventive model) and treatment (healing model), TAEZg at 125, 250 and 500 mg / kg of body weight (b.w.) as well as omeprazole (preventive model) and misoprostol (healing model) at 30 and 0.012 mg / kg b.w respectively. As for the control groups, they received distilled water at 1 mL/ 100 g b.w. The animals were sacrificed by over dose of ether and then the ulcer macroscopic parameters (ulceration surface, ulceration index, scores and inhibition percentages) and gastric secretion parameters (gastric volume, gastric acidity and gastric pH) were assessed. Biochemical parameters such as total proteins and some oxidative stress parameters (Malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT)) were assessed. The results showed that pretreatment and treatment of rats with TAEZg at doses ranging from 125 to 500 mg / kg b.w significantly (P <0.001) and dose dependently reduced ulceration surface, ulceration index, gastric volume, gastric acidity, score and significantly (P <0.001) increase pH and inhibition percentage compared to control group 2. The inhibition percentages such as 93.71; 95.89; 91.03 and 98.20 % were recorded at 500 mg / kg in preventive model (acute, chronic and chronic exposure to naproxen followed by forced swimming test) and healing model respectively. Biochemical analysis showed a significant (P <0.001) increase in total protein, CAT levels and a significant decrease (P <0.001) in MDA level of the treated groups compared to the control group 2. In conclusion, TAEZg possessed a real preventive and healing anti-esophagitis effects in rats.