Healing effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Humulus lupulus L. (Hops) aerial parts on indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer in rats

Humulus lupulus L. (Hops) is one of the medicinal plants for which several effects have been reported such as sedative and hypnotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer. The fruits of this plant are also used for flavoring and as an aromatizer in the food and beverage industry. This study was done to evaluate the gastric anti-ulcer capacity of this plant in an animal model.

Male Wistar rats were used and the gastric ulcer was induced by oral administration of indomethacin (30 mg/kg, p.o.). The ulcer-bearing rats were orally treated with hydroalcoholic extracts of the leaf (HLE) and fruit (HFE) of hops at similar doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg. Ranitidine (35 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as a reference drug. Gastric acid, pepsin activity, malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were evaluated in gastric tissue, whereas this tissue was examined macroscopically and microscopically.

The results showed that both extracts (HLE and HFE) at a dose of 150 mg/kg reduced gastric ulcer characteristics such as number and severity, content acidity, pepsin activity, MPO, and MDA values. Also, macroscopic and microscopic images confirmed the effectiveness of the tested extracts in the healing of gastric ulcers.

It was concluded that leaves and fruits of hops were effective in healing gastric ulcers caused by indomethacin probably by reducing gastric acid and oxidative stress, and this effect was dose-dependent. This effect along with the sedative and anti-Helicobacter pylori properties of hops can be useful in introducing this plant as an antigastric ulcer agent under clinical conditions.