EVALUATION OF THE IN VIVO AND IN VITRO ANTIDIARRHEAL EFFECTS OF METHANOL LEAF EXTRACTS OF Boscia salicifolia IN MICE AND ISOLATED RABBIT JEJUNUM

Abstract

Diarrhoea is one of the leading causes of preventable death in developing countries andmainly affects children and infants. The leaves of Boscia salicifolia has been used as anherbal remedy in the treatment of diarrhea in many parts of Northern Nigeria and WestAfrica. Thus, this study was aimed at investigating this enthnomedical claims of the plantextract on the gastrointestinal tracts. The fresh leaves were collected from Kalshingi townof Akko Local Government area Gombe State in August. They were dried for a weekunder the sun and the grounded into powder. Six hundred (600 g) grams of the powderedleaves were subjected to successive cold extraction with 80 % methanol. The extract wasused for acute toxicity, phytochemical screening, antidiarrheal and spasmolyticevaluation of acetylcholine, histamine and serotonin induced contractions on rabbitjejunum. The preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids,flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenes, steroid and glycosides. The effect methanol leafextract of B. salicifolia on castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice showed a significantreduction (p<0.05) in the diarrheal drops with increase percentage inhibition of diarrhea45.95, 40.54, and 29.72% at 380, 760, and 1140 mg/kg doses of the extract, respectively.The standard drug (loperamide 5 mg/kg) inhibited diarrhoeal droppings by 51 %. Theextract significantly (p<0.001) decreases the force of rabbit ileum contraction induced byacetylcholine, histamine and serotonin at 7 x 10-10 g/ml, 1 x 10-7 g/ml and 1 x 10-7 g/mlrespectively. The methanol leaf extract of Boscia salicifolia was found to be relativelysafe and possess significant anti-diarrhoeal activity, and this justifies the use of this plantin the treatment of diarrhoea in the traditional settings.Keywords: Boscia salicifolia, diarrhea, in vivo, in vitro, spasmolytic, castor oil