Effects Of The Ethanol Extract Of The Leaves Of Carica Papaya On The Concentration Of Total Proteins And Specific Activity Of Catalase Of Aspirin-Ulcerated Rats:- Ogu Ogechi J

ABSTRACT vi Plant extracts have been the basis for medical treatments through much of human history. Carica papaya, a widely growing perennial plant has been used in traditional medicine for treating of ailments such as gastric ulcer. This study was undertaken t investigate the phytochemical constituents, acute toxicity and lethality of the ethanol extracts of the leaves of C. papaya as well as its effects on total proteins concentration and specific activity of catalase of aspirin ulcerated rats. The phytochemical analyses revealed that the extract contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, glycosides, proteins, steroids, terpenoids, and fats and oil but resins, reducing sugars and acidic compounds were not detected in the extract. The extract was found to be safe even at a dose as high as 5000 mg/kg body weight (b.w). The extract at the tested doses (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w) significantly (P<0.05) and dose-dependently increased the concentration oftotal proteins and specific activity of catalase ofthe rats in the test groups compared to the values obtained for the rats in the ulcer-untreated groups. The effects of the 400 mg/kg b.w ofthe extract use comparable to those of standard anti-ulcer drug, ranitidine at the dose of 150 mg/kg b.w. This study justifies the use of the leaves of the C. papaya in treating gastric ulcer in traditional medicine.