Effect of ginger (zingiber officinale) on gastric mucosa and experimental induced gastric ulcer in male albino rats

Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat many diseases. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of ginger powder on gastric mucosa and gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin and stress in male albino rats, in addition its effect on gastric secretion was also evaluated. Ginger powder was used in three doses (180, 360, 720 mg/kg rat/day) orally for one month. One hundred and thirty eight male albino rats, divided into five groups, were used in this study. The first group was used to study the effect of ginger powder on the gastric mucosa, the second was designed to demonstrate the ginger’s effect on the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer, the third group was used to explore the ginger’s effect on stress-induced gastric ulcer, while, the fourth one was used to study the effect of ginger on the gastric secretion (collected for four hours) and lastly the fifth group was planned to show the ginger’s effect on the gastric secretion in indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer.It was revealed that ginger in a dose of 180 mg/kg rat/day orally for one month had a gastroprotective effect with high preventive index against both indomethacin and stress induced gastric ulcer. Also it produced a significant decrease in acid concentration, acid output and pepsin concentration with a significant increase in the mucous concentration. Further increase of ginger powder to 360 mg/kg rat/day orally for one month had a less gastroprotective effect on indomethacin and stress induced gastric ulcer with less preventive index. On the other hand the largest dose of ginger powder (720 mg/kg rat/day orally for one month) produced ulcerogenic effect on the gastric mucosa and it failed to produce any protective effect on gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin and stress, moreover this dose produced a significant increase in the acid concentration and acid output with a significant decrease in mucous concentration In conclusion small dose of ginger have a protective effect on indomethacin and stress induced gastric ulcer that wanes with progressive increase in the dose to a point where it might have a deleterious effect.