Gastric healing process with raw extract of Euphorbia tirucalli L.: study in rats.

Background: The use of plants in the prevention and treatment of disease is age-old practice. The aveloz (Euphorbia tirucalli) is a plant native of Africa and has been associated with antimicrobial, antiulcers, anticarcinogenic, antiviral, healing, anti-helminthic, antisiphilitic effects.

Aim: To analyze the effect of the crude extract of Euphorbia tirucalli L. in the stomach healing process of mice.

Methods: Sixteen Swiss mice, adult females were subjected to 1 cm longitudinal incision in the gastric body and sutured with 6-0 polypropylene stitches. After the procedure, the animals were randomly divided into two groups of eight animals. These were redistributed into four subgroups: Aveloz (GA7) and Control (CG7) with programmed death for 7th day postoperatively and Aveloz (GA14) and Control (GC14) with programmed death for 14 days postoperatively. The group GA used 1 ml of hydroalcoholic solution of the crude extract of Euphorbia tirucalli at 30 mg/ml orally by gavage route and the CG, 0.9% saline solution at the same volume and route. After death, the inventory of the abdominal cavity was conducted and the stomach removal was performed, fixing in formalin and sent for microscopic analysis. In the comparative analysis between the two groups were evaluated the macroscopic and microscopic parameters of healing.

Results: There were no signs of peritonitis, fistulas or hematomas in the animals. There were adhesions of the stomach, especially with the liver and omentum in the animals at 7 and 14 days postoperatively in both groups. The analysis of histological parameters showed no statistically significant difference between groups in any of the parameters evaluated.

Conclusion: The evaluation of the use of the crude extract of Euphorbia tirucalli L. on stomach wound healing in mice showed equivalence in comparison to the control group.