The rhizome of Atractylodes japonica and Atractylodes macrocephala are popularly used in traditional Korean medicine to treat gastric ulcer. Both of these plants are used combinely disregard of their origin for the treatment of gastric ulcer. Consequently, comparative effect of the rhizome of A. japonica and A. macrocephala with antiulcerogenic agent has not been reported yet. We compared the antiulcerogenic effect of 70% EtOH extract of A. japonica and A. macrocephala on EtOH-HCl induced gastric lesions in rats. Gastric lesions were experimentally created by oral administration of 80% ethanol containing 0.15 mol/L HCl. Rats were divided into six groups, and they were treated with vehicle, cimetidine (100mg/kg, p.o), A. japonica and A. macrocephala (100 and 300mg/kg, p.o). Samples were administered 30 minute before the administration of EtOH-HCl orally. Rats were sacrificed an hour later and stomach was washed out. Photograph of ulcerated region was taken and lesion area was measured by ImageJ software. Treatment with A. japonica 300mg/kg significantly reduced the gastric lesion by 90.8% (p<0.001) as compared to the control group whereas A. macrocephala, 300mg/kg reduced the gastric lesion by 81.9% (p<0.001). These results suggest that A. japonica is more effective than that of A. macrocephala on EtOH-HCl induced gastric ulcer in rats. A. japonica can be the alternative therapy for the treatment of gastric ulcer.
