Stomach

Nuclear chemistry

Chemistry

Coconut oil

Myristic acid

Ranitidine

Palmitic acid

Antioxidant

Lauric acid

Peroxide value

Distilled water

Food science

Chromatography

Acid value

Fatty acid

Biochemistry

Medicine

Pharmacology

TANG [HUMANITAS MEDICINE]

The aimed of the presence study was to determine the antiulcer potential of virgin coconut oil (VCO), either extracted by wet process (VCOA) or fermentation process (VCOB), and to compare their effectiveness against the copra oil (CO) using the HCl/ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model. Earlier, the oils underwent chemical analysis to determine the free fatty acids composition, physicochemical properties and anti-oxidant capability. In the antiulcer study, rats (n=6) were pre-treated orally for 7 consecutive days with distilled water (vehicle), 100 mg/kg ranitidine (positive group) or the respective oils (10, 50, and 100% concentration). One hour after the last test solutions administration on Day 7th, the animals were subjected to the gastric ulcer assay. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses were performed on the collected rat's stomachs. From the results obtained, the chemical analysis revealed i) the presence of high content of lauric acid followed by myristic acid and palmitic acid in all oils and; ii) the significant (*p< 0.05) different in anisidine- and peroxide-value, percentage of free fatty acid, total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity among the oils. The animal study demonstrated that all oil possess significant (*p< 0.05) antiulcer activity with VCOB being the most effective oil followed by VCOA and CO. The macroscopic observations were supported by the microscopic findings. Interestingly, all oils were more effective than 100 mg/kg ranitidine (reference drug). In conclusion, coconut oils exert remarkable antiulcer activity depending on their methods of extraction, possibly via the modulation of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Anti-ulcerogenic activity of virgin coconut oil contribute to the stomach health of humankind