Suubo, J.; Ninsiima, H. I.; Nansunga, M.; Jjesero, E.; Nkanu, E.

Gastric ulcers are due to an imbalance between the protective factors like mucus and bicarbonate and offensive factors like gastric hydrochloric acid, infection and pepsin, on the other hand and medicines like ibuprofen. Despite the available conventional therapy, the mortality rate due to gastric ulcers across the globe is 11% with a range of 3-23%. Capsicum frutescens (C. frutescens) fruit which is consumed in most communities as a spice has a number of pharmacological benefits which include being an anti-ulcer, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic and anticancer activity, among other uses. This study was therefore carried out to determine the effect of the ethanol fruit extract of Capsicum frutescens on the gastric acid production determinants in ibuprofen induced gastric ulcers in Wistar rats. Fifteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups of three rats each. Group one (control) received normal saline, Other groups received ibuprofen for five days followed by normal saline, or misoprostolR, or Capsicum frutescens (107.5mg/kg body weight) for fourteen days. Ulcer index, H+/K+ ATPase enzyme activity, gastrin secretion and parietal cell histology were determined. Oral administration of Ibuprofen induced gastric ulcers. Capsicum frutescens reduced the ulcer index. The H+/K+ ATPase enzyme activity was significantly decreased (p < 0.01) as well as concentration of gastrin (p < 0.01) and significant (p < 0.01) decrease in the mean number of parietal cells. It is concluded that Capsicum frutescens has a therapeutic property for ulcer healing and does this through reduction of; H+/K+ ATPase enzyme activity, gastrin release and number of parietal cells in the stomach.