Capsicum Frutescens Exhibits Tachyphylaxis In Gastric Acid Secretion

Capsicum frutescens has been found to increase gastric acid secretion (Ibu et al., 1993). Capsicum frutescens is a species of pepper that is widely used as spice both in Nigeria and elsewhere (Ibu et al., 1993). There is paucity of literature on its action on gastric acid secretion. This prompted the present study. 40 male and female albino Wistar rats weighing between 200-300 g were randomly placed in five groups having 8 rats per group. The method of Alnaqueeb (1996) was used to prepare aqueous extract of Capsicum frutescens which was administered through a gastric fistula created at the fundus. 10%, 20%, of LD 50 and supramaximal doses of 10mg, 20mg, 30mg, 40mg, 50mg, 60mg, 70mg and 80mg of the aqueous extract were administered. Ghosh and Schild 1958 method as modified by Ibu (1987) was employed to measure gastric acid secretion. The result of gastric acid secretion on administration of 10% of LD 50 dose in mmol/L/hour for basal acid output (BAO) was 16.2± 0.01 and 18.1 ± 0.04, 18.6 ± 0.03, 18.6 ± 0.10, 17.4 ± 0.9, 16.02 ± 0.9 and 15.36 ± 0.16 at 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 minutes respectively. It was observed that gastric acid secretion increased and rose to a maximum between 50 and 70 minutes. It then began to decline in acid secretion between 80 and 120 minutes. This decline is due to a phenomenon called tachyphylaxis.