Organic constituents and antiulcer activity of petroleum spirit extract of unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca) peels

Frank Nwokedi Igbekwe Morah and Blessing Dominic Peter

Abstract

Musa paradisiaca (plantain) is an edible food crop and an African medicinal plant. The fruit is consumed, boiled, roasted, fried or as plantain flour. It is used against ulcer, diabetes and as antimicrobial agent. The study is aimed to identify the constituents and the antiulcer activity of the petroleum spirit extract of unripe fruit peel was evaluated. Air dried unripe plantain peel was ground. The ground peel was soaked in petroleum spirit for 24 h and filtered. The filtrate was allowed to evaporate at laboratory temperature to get the petroleum spirit extract. The constituents were separated by gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. The extract was used to test for such ulcer parameters like gastric acid output, gastric mucus output and ulcer score etc. The extract contains sixteen organic compounds and the study shows that it is effective in control of stomach ulcer, which could have possible application to control the stomach ulcer.