Gastroprotective Effect of Ascidian, Halocynthia aurantium (Akaboya), Extract on Acute Gastric Hemorrhagic Lesions in Rats

Summary

Radical scavenging and antiulcer activities in extracts prepared from the ascidian Halocynthia aurantium (Akaboya) were examined. Lyophilized powder (50 g) was extracted with chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v) and then methanol. Both extracts were concentrated in vacuo at 40^°C, yielding an orange syrup (8.1 g, CM Ext.) and a pale-yellow syrup (6.6 g, MeOH Ext.), respectively. Both extracts (CM and MeOH Exts.) were found to have a potent radical scavenging action on l,l-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The extracts (100 mg/kg) were given to male Wistar rats intragastically 30 min before the administration of ethanol (5 ml/kg), which caused the formation of lesions in mucosa of the glandular stomach after 1 hour. Both extracts inhibited the formation of gastric hemorrhagic lesions. The results indicate that two and more kinds of antiulcer substance containing hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups are present in the ascidian.