Chiang Mai Journal of Science

Turbinaria conoides is a brown marine alga which was collected from the Gulf Thailand. In previous studies, aqueous extract (AE) of T. conoides have shown a potential in performing beneficial activities, including antioxidative, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. In this report, the potential of T. conoides as a protectant against gastric ulcers resulting from restraint water immersion stress, mixture of HCl/ethanol and indomethacin induced gastric ulcer in rats were studied. AE of T. conoides could reduce gastric ulceration in all assays in the range of 50.98 – 99.85 %. The highest activity was found in the HCl/ethanol model. Moreover, AE of T. conoides has non-oral toxicity in high dose. These results suggest that the AE of T. conoides could help protect the stomach from stress, indomethacin as well as HCl/ethanol induced gastric ulcers. Its safety as a neutraceutical or pharmaceutical product has also been determined.