QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF PHYTOCHEMICALS AND ANTIULCER ACTIVITY OF CULLEN CORYLIFOLIUM SEED EXTRACT

The present study was undertaken to investigate the phytochemical composition and antiulcer activity of the ethanolic seed extract of Cullen corylifolium. Successive extraction of the powdered seeds was carried out using chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and water. The ethanol extract exhibited the highest extractive yield (10.25% w/w). Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds, while steroids, proteins, amino acids, resins, and saponins were absent. Quantitative analysis showed that the ethanolic extract contained higher total phenolic content (0.765 mg/100 mg) and total flavonoid content (0.995 mg/100 mg) than the aqueous extract. The antiulcer activity of the ethanolic extract was evaluated in ethanol-induced gastric ulcer models in Wistar rats at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, with ranitidine (50 mg/kg) used as the standard drug. Treatment with the ethanolic extract significantly reduced the ulcer index in a dose-dependent manner, with values of 3.65 ± 0.25 and 3.15 ± 0.20 at 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, compared to 7.85 ± 0.42 in the control group. The extract also significantly increased gastric pH while reducing total acidity, free acidity, and pepsin activity. The gastroprotective effect observed at 200 mg/kg was comparable to that of ranitidine. The antiulcer activity is likely attributed to the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds possessing antioxidant and cytoprotective properties. The findings suggest that the ethanolic seed extract of Cullen corylifolium possesses significant antiulcer potential and may serve as a promising natural therapeutic agent for the management of gastric ulcers. Further studies are warranted to isolate the active constituents and elucidate their precise mechanisms of action.

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