Pharmacognosy Journal | September 2011 | Vol 3 | Issue 25 73 ORIGINAL ARTICLE PHCOG J. *Address for correspondence: Kottam Institute of Pharmacy, Eravally ‘X’ Roads, MBNR, Dist, AP.509125. Mobile: 7893204867 Email: rajkutty1983@gmail.com DOI: 10.5530/pj.2011.25.13 nitric oxide). [4] The goals of treating peptic ulcer disease are to relieve pain, heal the ulcer and prevent ulcer recurrence. Currently there is no cost-effective treatment that meets all these goals. Hence, efforts are on to find a suitable treatment from natural product sources. Albizia amara (Fabaceae) is a plant used in traditional system of medicine in india. The seeds of Albizia amara used as an astringent, treating piles, diarrhoea, gonorrhoea, leprosy, leucoderma, erysipelas and abscesses. [5] The flowers have been applied to boils, eruptions, swellings, ulcers, also regarded as an emetic, to tackle hair-fall and dandruff on the scalp and as a remedy for coughs and malaria. It is also known as “Kaunthia”, a native term originated from Hindi language, indicating an age-old usage of those species by indian indigenous communities. [6] Other popular names are oil cake tree. Leaves were used to tackle hair-fall and dandruff on the scalp. It is used to make hair protective oils. A simple application involves soaking the leaves and flowers in water and using a wet grinder to make a thick paste, and used as a natural shampoo. However there are no reports on the antiulcer activity of the plant hence the present study was designed to verify the claims of the native practioners. Studies on Activity of Various Extracts of Albizia amara against Drug induced Gastric Ulcers T. Rajkumar* 1 , B.N. Sinha 2 1 Kottam Institute of Pharmacy, Eravally ‘X’ Roads, MBNR, Dist, AP.509125. 2 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi-835215, India. ABSTRACT Albizia amara is used as a medicinal herb by the tribes of forest regions of Western Ghats. It is used for headaches, backaches, stomach pain, piles and simple ulcers. The anti ulcer activity of various extracts of Albizia amara was investigated on ethanol, pylorus ligated and indomethacin induced pylorus ligated ulcer models in mice and rats. The common parameter determined was ulcer index. In the pyloric ligation model and indomethacin induced pyloric ligated models oral administration of both extracts such as petroleum ether and methanol, standard drug ranitidine and control group to separate groups of Wister rats of either sex was performed. Total acidity, volume of gastric juice, pH, percentage protection and ulcer index were assessed. In the case of the 90% ethanol-induced ulceration model in mice, there was a decrease in ulcer score and percentage protection in test groups of petroleum ether (46.72%), methanol (68%) and standard drug ranitidine (85.44%) when compared to the negative control. There was a decrease in gastric secretion and ulcer index among the treated groups i .e. petroleum ether (73.91%), methanol (80.72%) and in standard drug (91.59%) when compared to the negative control in pyloric ligated ulcers. In indomethacin induced pyloric ligated ulcer model in rats there was a reduction in ulcerative score in animals receiving petroleum ether (63.2%), methanolic (62.07%) and standard drug (80.02%) when compared to the negative control. The extract (250 mg/kg) showed significant (P < 0.01) reduction in gastric volume, free acidity and ulcer index as compared to control in all models. Key words: Albizia amara; Pyloric ligation, Indomethacin induced ulcers, ulcer index. INTRODUCTION Gastric ulcer, one of the most widespread, is believed to be due to an imbalance between aggressive and protective factors. [1] The gastric mucosa is continuously exposed to potentially injurious agents such as acid, pepsin, bile acids, food ingredients, bacterial products (Helicobacter pylori) and drugs. [2] These agents have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric ulcer, including enhanced gastric acid and pepsin secretion, inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis and cell proliferation growth, diminished gastric blood flow and gastric motility. [3] Drug treatment of peptic ulcers is targeted at either counteracting aggressive factors (acid, pepsin, active oxidants, platelet aggravating factor “PAF”, leukotrienes, endothelins, bile or exogenous factors including NSAIDs) or stimulating the mucosal defences (mucus, bicarbonate, normal blood flow, prostaglandins(PG),