Evaluation of Antidiarrheal Activity of Methanolic Extract of Daemia extensa R. Br. Seeds

Abstract

Diarrhea is one of the most general causes for thousands of deaths each year. Consequently, identification of new source of antidiarrheal drugs becomes one of the most prominent focuses in modern research. Our aim was to investigate the antidiarrheal activity of methanolic extract of Daemia extensa R. Br. (MEDE) leaves in rats. Antidiarrheal effect was evaluated by using castor oil-induced diarrhea at 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg body weight in rats where the extract showed considerable antidiarrheal effect by inhibiting 49.47% and 62.85% of diarrheal period at the doses of 200 and 400mg/kg, correspondingly These observed effects are comparable to that of standard drug loperamide (5mg/kg). So these results indicate that bioactive compounds are present in methanolic extract of Daemia extensa leaves including significant anti-diarrheal activity and could be accounted for pharmacological effects.