¹Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, ²Molecular Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Purpose: To study the anti-ulcer activity of 2’-(5-Chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene) benzenesulfano-hydrazide Schiff base against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats.

Methods: 2’-(5-Chloro-2-hydroxybenzylidene) benzenesulfano-hydrazide (Cl-BzSO-HAP) was synthesized, and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR. Its preventive activity against ulcer induced by absolute ethanol in Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in vivo. Twenty four Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (12 males and 12 females) were assigned equally into 4 groups (n = 6), including negative control and positive control groups. The third group received a low oral dose of the compound (50 mg/kg) while the fourth group was administered a high oral dose (100 mg/kg). The degree of gastric lesion formation was assessed. Prior to dosing, the animals were fasted overnight.

Results: Cl-BzSO-HAP showed significant preventive activity against ulcer induced by absolute ethanol. Oral administration of the compound (both low and high doses) prior to ethanol administration inhibited gastric lesion formation by 88.0 and 94.9 %, respectively, compared to 82.7 % for  the positive control, cimetidine.

Conclusion: Extensive gastric necrosis in rats induced by absolute ethanol was prevented by administration of Cl-BzSO-HAP resulting in reduced or total absence of lesions.