Introduction: Stomach ulcers are overt wound which developed on the epithelial layer of the gastric mucosa. The global burden of gastric ulcers affects millions of people annually, with a lifetime prevalence of 5% to 10%. Aloe vera gel has been found to have effects on the gastrointestinal system, this study aims to investigate the histological effects of Aloe vera on the histology of stomach ulcer-induced Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods: Thirty adult male Wistar rats weighing between 190 ± 10 g were employed for this study. The rats were randomly assigned to six groups (1-6) of five rats each. All rats were fed with normal rat chow for 1 week and given water ad libitum, kept and maintained under standard laboratory conditions. Animals in group 1 were the normal control, Animals in groups 2-4 were treated with a single dose of Ibuprofen 200 mg/kg. Groups 3 and 4 were treated with Aloe vera leaf gel extract at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively for 14 days, group 5 animals were pre-treated with oral administration of Aloe vera gel extract for 14 days at a concentration of 200 mg/kg before the ulcerogenic procedures, Group 6 was treated with standard medication (Omeprazole) after inducing ulcer, while Group 2 animals were left untreated and sacrificed immediately. Gastric ulceration, was induced in 18 hours fasted rats by the oral administration of a ulcerogenic drug, Ibuprofen 200 mg/kg.. At the end of the experimental period the rats were sacrificed under 50mg/kg of ketamine anesthesia administration.

Results: Showed normal histoarchitectural layout of mucosa in the normal group 1, while the untreated ulcer group showed serious sloughing of the gastric epithelial lining, altered arrangements of glandular tissues in the mucosal region and eventual gastric cell death. In the low dose Aloe vera leaf gel, the section showed sloughing with mild hemorrhagic areas, with few white blood cell infiltration of the mucosal layer, the ulcer group treated with high dose aloe vera leaf gel, showed mild sloughing with areas of petechial hemorrhages. Aloe vera pre-treated group showed normal intact layers all through the mucosal epithelial lining intact submucosal layer and muscularis, while, ulcer group treated with Omeprazole, showed mild sloughing of gastric epithelium.

Discussion: The results from the study showed that ibuprofen actually induced gastric ulceration at 200mg/kg in the Wistar rats as evidenced by sloughing of the epithelial lining of the mucosa layer. The low dose and high dose Aloe vera gel extract offer healing effects on the injured gastric mucosa, in a similar manner with the standard ulcer drug. Additionally, the prophylactic effect of aloe vera gel extracts has more profound protective influence on the gastric epithelial mucosa of the ulcer-induced Wistar rats than the therapeutic effect.

Conclusion: This study concluded that ibuprofen caused gastric ulceration, the Aloe vera gel extract at varying doses including Omeprazole were able to ameliorate the ulcerogenic effect, however the prophylactic effect of Aloe vera is more efficacious than its therapeutic effect.