Anti-ulceral and anti-oxidative properties of “earthworm paste” of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) on Rattus Norvegicus

M. Prakash, M. Balamurugan, K. Parthasarathi, G. Gunasekaran, E.L. Cooper*, L.S. Ranganathan

Division of Vermibiotechnology, Department of Zoology, Annamalai University – Annamalainagar (India)
*Laboratory of Comparative Immunology, Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California – Los Angeles, California (USA)

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• Pharmacology

Abstract. – Studies have been made to understand the anti-ulceral and anti-oxidant properties of the “earthworm paste” derived from Lampito mauritii (Kinberg), an indigenous species, in comparison with the standard anti-ulceral drug-ranitidine, on the Wistar strain albino rats Rattus norvegicus. Administration of 200 mg/kg aspirin was found to increase the volume of gastric juice secretion, total acidity, free acidity, ulcer index and reduce the pH. It also had decreased the anti-oxidant levels such as reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase and increased the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. Pretreatment with the standard drug-ranitidine (50 mg/kg) and different doses of “earthworm paste” (20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 mg/kg) in ulcer induced animal had enhanced the pH, decreased the volume of gastric juice, free acidity, total acidity and reduced the ulcer index. Further the activities of reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase were increased whereas the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance had decreased. The results were more significant in rats administered with 160 mg/kg “earthworm paste” than the application of ranitidine and other doses of “earthworm paste”. This indicates the presence of anti-ulcer and anti-oxidative effects in “earthworm paste”. In conclusion, administration of 160 mg “earthworm paste”/kg was found to have better therapeutic properties.

Corresponding Author: M. Balamurugan; e-mail: dnabala@rediffmail.com