Peptic ulcer is a disease that commonly occurs and spreads over the world and one of its causes is the use of long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs are also able to inhibit ulcer healing process. Madecassoside and asiaticoside are active ingredients in Centella asiatica extract which have wound healing effects by increasing angiogenesis and inhibiting the inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Centella asiatica extract on the expression of bFGF and Sox-2 in the gastric Rattus novergicus model of peptic ulcer induced by indomethacin. The effect of Centella asiatica (CA) extract was seen in mice (Rattus novergicus) used as peptic ulcer models which were induced by indomethacin at a dose of 30 mg/kg Body Weight, then the extract was added by CA at a dose of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg for 7 days with a frequency of 1x/day. The experimental group was divided into 6 groups, namely negative control group, positive control group day 1st, positive control group day 8th, treatment group dose 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg. The experimental animals were then sacrificed, then the expression of bFGF and Sox-2 in the gastric mucosal epithelium was assessed by doing immunohistochemistry. The results showed that CA was able to increase bFGF expression in rat gastric epithelial cells (p = 0.007) while Sox-2 expression showed no significant increase. These results indicated that Centella asiatica extract can help cure peptic ulcer by increasing bFGF expression in gastric epithelial cells which is important for angiogenesis, proliferation, and epithelial cell migration.

Keywords : bFGF, Extract of Centella asiatica, Indomethacin, Peptic Ulcer, Sox-2, Ulcer Healing.