Investigation of Antiulcer and Antioxidant Activity of Juniperus phoenicea L. (1753) Essential Oil in an Experimental Rat Model

Manel Jemaї Ben Ali; Fatma Guesmi; Abdel Halim Harrath; Saleh Alwasel; Amor Hedfi; Sana Ncib; Ahmed Landoulsi; Badr Aldahmash; Mossadok Ben-Attia

doi:10.1248/bpb.b15-00412

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Investigation of Antiulcer and Antioxidant Activity of Juniperus phoenicea L. (1753) Essential Oil in an Experimental Rat Model

Manel Jemaї Ben Ali, Fatma Guesmi, Abdel Halim Harrath , Saleh Alwasel, Amor Hedfi, Sana Ncib, Ahmed Landoulsi, Badr Aldahmash, Mossadok Ben-Attia

Author information

Manel Jemaї Ben Ali
Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring (LR01/ES14), Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage
Faculty of Sciences of Gafsa, Research Common Services Unit (RCSU)
Fatma Guesmi
Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Abdel Halim Harrath Corresponding author
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University
Saleh Alwasel
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University
Amor Hedfi
Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring (LR01/ES14), Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage
Sana Ncib
Faculty of Sciences of Gafsa, Research Common Services Unit (RCSU)
Ahmed Landoulsi
Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Badr Aldahmash
Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University
Mossadok Ben-Attia
Laboratory of Environment Biomonitoring (LR01/ES14), Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, University of Carthage

Keywords: Juniperus phoenicea, essential oil, hydrogen chloride (HCl)-induced ulcer, ethanol-induced ulcer, antioxidant, antiulcer effect

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2015 Volume 38 Issue 11 Pages 1738-1746

DOI https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.b15-00412

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Abstract

Juniperus phoenicea is a tree of the Cupressaceae family that is popularly known in the south of Tunisia because of its wide application in herbal medicine, including the use of its leaves to treat many diseases such as diarrhea, rheumatism, and intestinal disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ulceroprotective and antioxidant activity of essential oil extracted from the leaves of J. phoenicea (EOJp) against hydrogen chloride (HCl)/ethanol-induced ulcers in rats. The antiulcer activities of 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) EOJp were investigated on 0.3 M HCl/ethanol-induced ulcers in rats. The essential oil yield was 0.69% with 48 compounds; α-pinene was the principal component (20.24%). In vivo pretreatment with EOJp given orally provided dose-dependent protection against HCl/ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. Furthermore, pretreatment with EOJp significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The activity of the antiulcerogenic EOJp could be from synergistic antioxidant and anti-secretory effects. Oral use of EOJp has excellent preventive effects on induced gastric ulcers comparable to those of the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) omeprazole.

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