Potential Protective Effects of Sildenafil and Moringa on Experimentally-induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sildenafil and Moringa appear to have the ability to reduce the ulcerogenic effect of the drugs used to induce ulcers in rats. AIM: The present study was conducted to investigate the gastroprotective effects of sildenafil citrate, Moringa oleifera, which is an Indian plant, and their combination against an indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gastric ulcers were induced by oral administration of indomethacin. Forty rats were used in the study, divided into 5 groups: Control Vehicle (Group 1), group 2 received indomethacin (100mg/kg) P.O., group 3 was pretreated with sildenafil (50mg/kg) P.O. and then received indomethacin, group 4 was pretreated with moringa leaf powder (200mg/kg) and then received indomethacin, group 5 received both sildenafil and moringa before administration of indomethacin. RESULTS: Indomethacin induced marked ulceration in the gastric mucosa and an increase in gastric acidity as compared to the vehicle control group. Furthermore, the indomethacin treated group exhibited increased activity of lipid peroxide (MDA) and the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in tissues, while it induced a decreased content of nitric oxide (NO). Pretreatment with sildenafil and/or moringa significantly reduced the gastric acid secretion, ulcer score, tissue MDA and TNF-α contents and increased NO content compared with indomethacin alone. CONCLUSION: Both sildenafil and moringa have protective effects on the experimentally induced gastric ulcers.