Effect Of The Ethanol Extract Of The Leaves Of Carica Papaya On The Concentration Of Haemoglobin(Hb) Of Aspirin-Ulcerated Rats

ABSTRACT

Many plants and plant-derived products have been screened for their medicinal purposes: some have anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer effects. An example of these plants is Carica papaya leaf. The objectives of this work were to determine the phytochemical constituents, acute toxicity and lethality and effect of the ethanol extract of the leaves of C. papaya on the concentration of haemoglobin (Hb) of aspirin-ulcerated rats. The phytochemical evaluation of the extract showed that it contained flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids. steroids, glycosides, carbohydrates, alkaloids, proteins, saponins, fats and oil but resins, reducing sugars and acidic compounds were not detected in the extract. The 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the extract significantly (p < 0.05) and dose-dependently increased the haernoglobin concentrations of the rats in groups 4, 5 and 6 when compared to the value obtained for the rats in group 2. The standard anti-ulcer drug [ranitidine (150 mg/kg body weight)] also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the haemoglobin concentration of the rats in group 3 when compared to the value obtained for the rats in group 2. In conclusion, the extract caused an anti-ulcer effect in part, by increasing the concentration of haemoglobin in the ulcerated rats. This therefore, justifies the use of the leave ol ('. papaya in traditional medicine for the treatment of gastric ulcer.