Anti-diarrheal activity and brine shrimp lethality bioassay of methanolic extract of Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. leaves

Abstract

BackgroundCordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. (Asparagaceae) is a plant which is traditionally used for the treatment of cough, bloody cough, diarrhea, dysentery, high fever, difficulties in urine, bloody urine, small pox, madness, skin eruptions, joint pains, rheumatic bone pains, sore throat, neck pain, bleeding hemorrhoids and inflammation in the digestive tract. Therefore, the present work aims to investigate the antidiarrheal and cytotoxic activities of methanolic extract of Cordyline fruticosa leaves in mice and brine shrimp, respectively.MethodsThe effects of the methanol extract of Cordyline fruticosa leaves (MCFL) on castor oil-induced diarrhea, magnesium sulphate induced diarrhea and charcoal meal test in mice were investigated. In addition, brine shrimp lethality bioassay method was used to evaluate cytotoxic activity of MCFL.ResultsIn castor oil induced diarrheal test, MCFL at the dose of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight significantly (∗P< 0.05, versus control) and dose-dependently reduced the frequency of diarrhea. The frequency of magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhea was significantly reduced by MCFL at the dose of with 800 mg/kg. In the charcoal meal test, the extract at the dose of 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight significantly (∗P< 0.05) reduced the distance travelled by charcoal along the intestinal tract when compare with control. However, in brine shrimp lethality test after 24 h, surviving brine shrimp nauplii were counted and LC50 was assessed. The extract exhibited considerable toxicity towards brine shrimp with LC50 value of 355.7 μg/mL,with respect to standard vincristine sulfate (having LC50 of 3.8 μg/mL).ConclusionThe results of present investigation suggest that methanolic extract of Cordyline fruticosa leaves possesses antidiarrheal and cytotoxic activities, confirming the traditional use of the plant in the treatment of diarrhea.