Abstract

Zingiber simaoense Y. Y. Qian (family Zingiberaceae) has a long history of use in traditional Thai medicine. The rhizome of this plant has been traditionally employed to treat gastric disorders. Notably, scientific studies in rats have documented the anti-gastric ulcer activity of the ethanol extract of Z. simaoense rhizome (ZSE), with its mechanism of action attributed to increased gastric wall mucus production. To identify ZSE sub-fractions with the most potent anti-gastric ulcer activity, ZSE was subjected to sequential solvent partitioning using n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water, followed by column chromatography. The anti-gastric ulcer activity of these sub-fractions was then evaluated using an acidified ethanol (EtOH/HCl)-induced gastric ulcer model in rats. The results showed that sub-fraction 1, eluted from the combined n-hexane and dichloromethane fractions, exhibited the highest anti-gastric ulcer activity. α-Eudesmol and elemol, the most abundant compounds in this sub-fraction 1, may be responsible for this activity, though further studies are required to confirm their specific roles. Notably, the oral LD50 of sub-fraction 1 in rats exceeded 2,000 mg/kg, providing preliminary evidence of its safety. These findings highlight the potential of Z. simaoense rhizomes as a source for developing herbal health products with anti-gastric ulcer activity in the future.

Key words: Zingiber simaoense rhizome, extraction, solvent partitioning, column chromatography, anti-gastric ulcer