Polysaccharide from Solanum tuberosum L. as a Potential Antiulcer Drug

A study was conducted to investigate the antiulcer activity of the polysaccharide from Solanum tuberosum L. in chronic and acute ulcer models proposed by Selye and Okabe. The antiulcer effect was assessed by determining and comparing the ulcer index in the treated animals and a control. The groups of treated animals that received a daily administration of polysaccharide for 7 and 3 days showed a significant decrease in the ulcer index when compared with that of the control group of animals given physiological saline. In the presence of polysaccharide, the incidence of pathological conditions (hyperemia, edema, and internal bleeding) decreased substantially regardless of the dose. This indicates that the polysaccharide may effectively prevent changes associated with the development of ulcerative colitis in the “August” line rats in the ulcer model adduced by Selye. According to Okabe, the polysaccharide dose (0.5 mg/animal) even in a single administration led to significant and in some cases almost complete healing of ulcers.