Antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic properties of aerial parts of Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic properties of the aerial parts of Trichosanthes dioica. The petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts were tested for antioxidant activity using nitric oxide scavenging assay, total antioxidant capacity and total flavonoid content determination; castor oil-induced and magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea in mice were used to evaluate antidiarrhoeal activity while Brine shrimp lethality bioassay was employed for cytotoxicity test. The extracts exhibited significant radical scavenging capacity against nitric oxide. The order of radical scavenging was ascorbic acid > water extract > ethyl acetate extract > methanol extract > petroleum ether extract. The assay also revealed significant total antioxidant activity and a good amount of flavonoids in the extracts. Results of antidiarrhoeal tests at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight significantly (p<0.05, 0.001) reduced the frequency and severity of diarrhoea in both animal models. Methanol extract showed the highest inhibition of defaecation. The extracts also showed moderate cytotoxicity against Brine shrimp. The results suggest that aerial parts of Trichosanthes dioica possess significant antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal and moderate cytotoxic activities.