HISTOPATHOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF LEDEBOURIA OVATIFOLIA ON EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS

Ledebouria ovatifolia is a plant known in isiXhosa as “Icubudwana” and is generally used by the Xhosa tribe in South Africa for medicinal purposes, including stomach-ache, diarrhoea, influenza, gargle and skin irritation. This study aimed at evaluating the healing effect of L. ovatifolia on experimentally induced reflux esophagitis. Reflux esophagitis was induced on rats by ligating the pylorus and the fore stomach. Animals were then autopsied 4 hours after the double ligation to examine the protective and deleterious effect of drugs. Prior to induction of esophagitis, different groups of rats were pre-treated orally with 100mg/kg L. ovatifolia, 200 mg/kg L. ovatifolia, 20mg/kg omeprazole and distilled water. Induction of reflux esophagitis caused marked increase of gross esophageal lesions, which corresponded with histopathological changes. Microscopic evaluation of ulcerated esophagus of L. ovatifolia pre-treated groups showed a reduced disruption of the surface epithelium at the lower dose. Higher dose of the plant extract showed an eroded esophageal mucosa with no recovery. The results suggest that L. ovatifolia could reduce the severity of reflux esophagitis and prevent esophageal mucosal damage. This may confirm its therapeutic use in esophageal reflux disease.