Volume 20, Issue 45, January - June, 2026

Ameliorative Activity of Unripe Musa paradisiaca Peels Fractions against Omeprazole and Cimetidine Drugs in Gastric Ulcer - A Comparative Study

Mfonobong E Sampson^1♦, Kingsley A Okon², Eno-Obong I Bassey²

¹Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
²Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Uyo, Main Campus, 520003 Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding Author
Mfonobong E Sampson, Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Gastric ulcer is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder affecting millions of the human population, globally. This chronic disease can be combated using synthetic drugs like Omeprazole and Cimetidine, including medicinal herbs like guava leaves, ginger roots, and cabbage. These synthetic drugs pose a wide variety of side effects and have varying efficacies, prompting the need for safer and more efficient alternatives. This research compares the ameliorative activity of Musa paradisiaca peels fractions with standard drugs, Omeprazole and Cimetidine in healing experimentally-induced ulcers. Forty rats were divided into eight groups, and starved for 24 h: Groups A and B served as the control groups administered 10 mL/kg of distilled water; Groups C – F were induced with ulcer using 0.5 mL of 90 % ethanol and administered with 97.98 mg/kg Musa paradisiaca fractions; Group G received 0.29 mg/kg Omeprazole; Group H were given 5.71 mg/kg Cimetidine. The administration was oral and lasted for 28 days. On the last day of the administration, the forty animals were sacrificed after being anaesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride intraperitoneally, and the stomach excised and fixed in 10 % formal saline for biochemical analysis and histological studies. Results obtained revealed that Musa paradisiaca fractions, particularly dichloromethane, showed a significant decrease in the level of malondialdehyde and a substantial increase in total antioxidant capacity, proving that the fractions possess anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation and lower the production of malondialdehyde. Musa paradisiaca fractions neutralize reactive oxygen species and therapeutically suppress lipid peroxidation, which enhance antioxidant reserves, offering protection to gastric tissues and cells from oxidative damage, outperforming Cimetidine and Omeprazole. Cimetidine, on the other hand, demonstrated superior ameliorative effects over Omeprazole. Histological findings revealed a substantial elimination of inflammatory cells, retention of glycogen stores for mucin production, and strengthened mucosal integrity as well as absence of apoptotic cells in the treated groups. The study therefore concludes that Musa paradisiaca peel fractions hold promising potential to act as a natural antiulcer agent as its efficacy is higher than that of conventional drug therapies.

Keywords: Musa paradisiaca fractions, Omeprazole, Cimetidine, Dichloromethane, Gastric ulcer

Drug Discovery, 2026, 20(45), e13dd3079

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Published: 06 May 2026