Antidiarrheal activity of some selected Nigerian plants used in traditional medicine

Christianaj Dawurung,Lamih Lombin,Joyg Usman,Stepheng Pyne,Ishakul Elisha,Jurbeg Gotep

doi:10.4103/pr.pr_43_19

Abstract

Context: Herbal preparations of the various parts of Vitellaria paradoxa, Neorautanenia mitis, Senna surattensis, and Hydnora abyssinica have been used in the Nigerian traditional medical practice to treat the symptoms of diarrhea in humans and animals. Aims: This study aims to validate claims of the traditional use of these plants in the treatment of diarrhea and provide a scientific basis for further studies. Materials and Methods: The median lethal dose (LD50) values of the extracts were obtained using the Limit test. Castor oil induced diarrhea and intestinal transit (motility) models in albino rats were used to determine the antidiarrheal activity. Graded doses of the extracts were administered to 3 test groups, while the positive control groups were given standard drugs (atropine and loperamide) and the negative control groups received distilled water per os. Results: The LD50was considered higher than 2000 mg/Kg for all the extracts. In the castor oil-induced diarrhea model, the highest percentage inhibition of defecation was observed in the test groups treated with the extracts of H. abyssinica (82%) followed by S. surattensis (81%), N. mitis (66%), and V. paradoxa (32%). H. abyssinica extract significantly decreased the intestinal transit of charcoal meal compared to the other extracts. Conclusion: The antidiarrheal activities of all the extracts give credence to their traditional use. H. abyssinica comparatively had the best antidiarrheal activity and has the potential as an antidiarrheal agent. Thus, the need for further studies of this extract to investigate active fractions, isolate and characterize active compounds, and determine their activities and safety.

Highlights

Plants have served as the major source of medicines to humans and animals from ancient times and are still important today.[1]
Antidiarrheal activity of some selected Nigerian plants used in traditional medicine
In this paper we report our study of four medicinal plants; Vitellaria paradoxa, Neorautanenia mitis, Senna surattensis, and Hydnora abyssinica

Summary

Introduction

Plants have served as the major source of medicines to humans and animals from ancient times and are still important today.[1]. Developing countries of the World continue to access this rich knowledge of herbal practice for their healthcare needs. This is not without its associated challenges, such as unreliable evidence of safety, standardization, efficacy, and the ever‐changing production practices.[2] In spite of these challenges, the use of herbal medicine still thrives in many industrialized and nonindustrialized countries of the world. The Ayurvedic medicine of India, Kampo medicine used in Japan, traditional Chinese medicine, and the Unani medicine in the Middle East and South Asia are practiced by a large population of people.[3,4] In Africa, about 80% of the people in rural communities rely on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare needs and that of their animals. 85% of traditional medicine involves the use of plant extracts.[5,6] Diarrhea is a global health problem, with many causes ranging from viral, bacterial, parasitic, fungal, and other non-infectious causes such

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