Contribution to the ethnopharmacological and anti-Helicobacter pylori knowledge of Cyrtocarpa procera Kunth (Anacardiaceae)

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Cyrtocarpa procera Kunth (Anacardiaceae) is a Mexican endemic tree; its bark has been traditionally employed in Mexico since prehispanic times to relieve digestive disorders.

Aim of the study

To perform an acute evaluation of the toxicity, gastroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the anti-Helicobacter pylori action of C. procera bark extracts, in order to determine polypharmalcological activities.

Materials and methods

Five different polarity extracts (hexanic, CH₂Cl₂, CH₂Cl₂-MeOH, methanolic, and aqueous) were prepared. Each of them was evaluated in the following acute mice models: toxicity Lorke test, ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, TPA-induced ear edema; and the in vitro anti-H. pylori activity with a broth dilution method.

Results

None of the extracts were toxic under acute administration. The methanolic, hexanic, and aqueous extracts possess remarkable gastroprotective activity. All the extracts inhibit H. pylori growth, being the hexanic the most active, and only this one showed significant anti-inflammatory effect.

Conclusions

This work demonstrates that C. procera bark has polypharmacological activities; which makes it a promising asset to the development of an integral treatment for gastritis or peptic ulcer related or not to H. pylori. Our findings contribute to the ethnopharmacological knowledge about this species.