Evaluation of Influence of Archachatina marginata Mucin on the Body Weight and Some Gastric Secretions of Wistar Rats Induced with Gastric Ulcer

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of A. marginata mucin on the gastric secretions and body weight of wistar rats induced with gastric ulcer. Thirty (30) adult male wistar rats were divided into six groups of five rats each. Group I (normal control) was administered with 2ml/kg distilled water, while Groups II III, IV and V were induced with ulceration via oral administration of 120mg/kg indomethacin. After ulceration had been confirmed successfully induced, while Group II was left untreated with mucin, III, IV and V were treated with 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800mgl/kg mucin respectively. Meanwhile, Group VI was administered with 20mg/kg omeprazole (standard drug). Body weight of rats was determined after induction (initial) and after treatment (final). The values recorded for free acidity (FA), total acidity (TA), pepsin activity (PA) and acid output (AO) for the untreated ulcer rats (Group II) were significantly high (63.20±7.66mEq/L), (91.40±6.34mEq/L), (1.63±0.09μEq/L/4hr) and (0.43±0.04μg/ml) respectively. However, significant reduction in the aforementioned parameters was established with mucin treatment in a dose dependent manner, such that Group V administered with 800mg/kg manifested the lowest level of FA (47.40±7.19 mEq/L), TA (72.00±6.36), PA (1.39±0.07 μg/ml) and AO (0.16±0.05 μg/ml) which was not significantly different from the values recorded for Group VI treated with the standard drug (omeprazole).The values recorded on the body weight of Group II reduced with the induction of gastric ulcer. However, a dose dependent increase was observed in all treated groups. In conclusion, through this study, it has been established that A. marginata mucin could be explored for the development of anti-ulcer therapy.