Intestinal Fluid Accumulation Research Articles

Evaluation of Medicago sativa ethanol leaf extract for antidiarrheal activity in Wistar rats

Aim: Medicago sativa leaf is traditionally used for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in Nigeria. This research investigates the in vivo antidiarrheal activity of M. sativa (Alfalfa) leaf extract in Wistar rats. Method: The study employed three models: castor oil-induced diarrhea, gastrointestinal motility (charcoal meal), and castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation. The phytochemical analysis as well acute toxicity tests were carried out in the leaf extract. Results: The results demonstrate a dose-dependent and significant antidiarrheal effect of M. sativa leaf extract. In the castor oil-induced diarrhea model, the extract reduced fecal frequency, delayed onset, and lowered severity, with the highest effect at 600 mg/kg compared to a positive control (Loperamide). Gastrointestinal motility was inhibited by the extract in a dose-dependent manner, achieving maximum effect at 600 mg/kg, comparable to atropine sulfate. The castor oil-induced intestinal fluid accumulation model revealed a significant decrease in fluid volume at 600 mg/kg, exhibiting a potent inhibitory effect. The oral LD50 values obtained were greater than 5000 mg/kg in rats Conclusion: This study provides compelling evidence of Medicago sativa leaf extract's potential as an antidiarrheal agent in Wistar rats. Further investigations could explore its mechanism of action and safety profile, contributing valuable insights to the development of novel antidiarrheal therapies.

Evaluations of the in vivo Laxative Effects of Aqueous Leaf and Stem Extracts of Artemisia Abyssinica in Mice.

People frequently complain of long-term constipation. The cost associated with using modern medications to treat constipation is significant, and the probability of encountering side effects is notably high. These limitations restrict their effectiveness in therapy, remain unresolved, and underscore the need for research on alternative therapeutic approaches. Plants of the genus Artemisia have been used to treat constipation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the laxative effects of aqueous A. abyssinica leaf and stem extracts of Artemisia abyssinica in mice. The laxative activity of A. abyssinica leaf and stem extracts was evaluated using three models: laxative activity, gastrointestinal motility, and gastrointestinal secretion. In this study, bisacodyl was used as a standard laxative and loperamide was used to induce constipation. In the laxative test, 200 (P<0.05) and 400 mg/kg (p<0.01) doses of plant extract significantly increased the percentage of fecal water content. Moreover, the highest dose of extract increased the frequency of defecation after 12 h (p<0.05). In the remaining two models, the experimental plans also showed significantly higher gastrointestinal motility and noticeable accumulation of intestinal fluid. The results of this study indicate that aqueous leaf and stem extracts of A. abyssinica have laxative effects.

IN VIVO EVALUATION OF ANTIDIARRHEAL ACTIVITY AND FORMULATION OF A FLOUR BASED ON EXTRACTS FROM THE LEAVES OF COMBRETUM GRANDIFLORUM G. DON (COMBRETACEAE)

Althoughmany conventional antidiarrheal agents are available, the inherenttoxicityof thesedrugsprovides an avenue to explore for safe and effective alternative medications. The objective of thisstudyis to evaluate in vivo the antidiarrhealactivity of extractsfrom the leaves of Combretumgrandiflorum and to formulate an antidiarrhealflour.The antidiarrhealactivity of Combretumgrandiflorumextractswascarried out usingmodels of castor oil-induceddiarrhea, castor oil-induced anti-enteropolling and intestinal transit. The formulation of the antidiarrhealflourwas made following the classic CCC calculationmethod. The results show a significantreduction (p˂0.01) in the frequency of wetstools and water content of diarrhea, intestinal motility, intestinal fluid accumulation and a delay in the onset of diarrhea by compared to controls, wereobserved in micetreatedwith the aqueousextract of Combretumgrandiflorum. Furthermore, the test batchestreatedwith the hydroethanolicextract and the referencemolecule (loperamide), no emission of diarrhealstools, no mass of freshdiarrhealstools, wasobserved. However, thiseffect of loperamideisstatisticallyidentical to that of the hydroethanolicextract. The formulation of antidiarrhealflourwith the hydroethanolicextract of Combretumgrandiflorumwillprovide an antidiarrhealfoodwith good nutritional value and acceptable rheologicalproperties. Additionalresearchisthereforenecessary to findflours to resolvediarrheaproblems.

Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp seeds extract prevents rotenone-induced motor- and non-motor features of Parkinson disease in mice: Insight into mechanisms of neuroprotection

Ethnopharmacological relevanceCajanus cajan (L) Millsp (Fabaceae) seed decoction is used by traditional healers in Nigeria as nerve tonic, hence, could be beneficial in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD), a progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disease that imposes great burden on the healthcare system globally. Aim of the studyThis study aimed at investigating the neuroprotective effect of ethanol seed extract of Cajanus cajan (CC) in the treatment of rotenone-induced motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms associated with PD. Materials and methodsTo assess the protective action of CC on rotenone-induced motor- and non-motor symptoms of PD, mice were first pretreated with CC (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg, p.o.) an hour before oral administration of rotenone (1 mg/kg, p.o, 0.5% in carboxyl-methylcellulose) for 28 consecutive days and weekly behavioural tests including motor assessment (open field test (OFT), rotarod, pole and cylinder tests) and non-motor assessment (novel object recognition (NOR), Y-maze test (YM), forced swim and tail suspension, gastric emptying and intestinal fluid accumulation tests) were carried out. The animals were euthanized on day 28 followed by the collection of brain for assessment of oxidative stress, inflammatory markers and immunohistochemical analysis of the striatum (STR) and substantia nigra (SN). Phytochemicals earlier isolated from CC were docked with protein targets linked with PD pathology such as; catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and Leucine rich receptor kinase (LRRK).Results: this study showed that CC significantly reduced rotenone-induced spontaneous motor impairment in OFT, pole, cylinder and rotarod tests in mice as well as significant improvement in non-motor features (significant reversal of rotenone-induced deficits discrimination index and spontaneous alternation behaviour in NORT and YM test, respectively, reduction in immobility time in forced swim/tail suspension test, gastrointestinal disturbance in intestinal transit time in mice. Moreso, rotenone-induced neurodegeneration, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation were significantly attenuated by CC administration. In addition, docking analysis showed significant binding affinity of CC phytochemicals with COMT, TH and LRRK2 receptors. ConclusionCajanus cajan seeds extract prevented both motor and non-motor features of Parkinson disease in mice through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Hence, could be a potential phytotherapeutic adjunct in the management of Parkinson disease.

Calcium-sensing receptor activator cinacalcet for treatment of cyclic nucleotide-mediated secretory diarrheas

Cyclic nucleotide elevation in intestinal epithelial cells is the key pathology causing intestinal fluid loss in secretory diarrheas such as cholera. Current secretory diarrhea treatment is primarily supportive, and oral rehydration solution is the mainstay of cholera treatment. There is an unmet need for safe, simple and effective diarrhea treatments. By promoting cAMP hydrolysis, extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a regulator of intestinal fluid transport. We studied the antidiarrheal mechanisms of FDA-approved CaSR activator cinacalcet and tested its efficacy in clinically relevant human cell, mouse and intestinal organoid models of secretory diarrhea. By using selective inhibitors, we found that cAMP agonists-induced secretory short-circuit currents (Isc) in human intestinal T84 cells are mediated by collective actions of apical membrane cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and Clc-2 Cl− channels, and basolateral membrane K+ channels. 30 μM cinacalcet pretreatment inhibited all 3 components of forskolin and cholera toxin-induced secretory Isc by ∼75%. In mouse jejunal mucosa, cinacalcet inhibited forskolin-induced secretory Isc by ∼60% in wild type mice, with no antisecretory effect in intestinal epithelia-specific Casr knockout mice (Casr-flox; Vil1-cre). In suckling mouse model of cholera induced by oral cholera toxin, single dose (30 mg/kg) oral cinacalcet treatment reduced intestinal fluid accumulation by ∼55% at 20 hours. Lastly, cinacalcet inhibited forskolin-induced secretory Isc by ∼75% in human colonic and ileal organoids. Our findings suggest that CaSR activator cinacalcet has antidiarrheal efficacy in distinct human cell, organoid and mouse models of secretory diarrhea. Considering its excellent clinical safety profile, cinacalcet can be repurposed as a treatment for cyclic nucleotide-mediated secretory diarrheas including cholera.

In vivo antidiarrheal activity of the crude extract and solvent fractions of Rhamnus prinoides (Rhamnaceae) leaves

BackgroundEven though numerous conventional anti-diarrheal agents are available, the inherent toxicities of the drugs urge the search for alternative drugs that are safe and effective. ObjectiveTo evaluate the in-vivo anti-diarrheal activity of crude extract and solvent fractions of Rhamnus prinoides leaves. Materials and methodsThe Rhamnus prinoides leaves were macerated using absolute methanol and then fractionated using solvents of different polarity indexes. For in-vivo antidiarrheal activity evaluation of the crude extract and solvent fraction, castor oil-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced anti-enteropolling, and intestinal transit models were used. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the data, followed by a Tukey post-test. The standard and negative control groups were treated with loperamide and 2% tween 80 respectively. ResultsA significant (p˂0.01) reduction in the frequency of wet stools and watery content of diarrhea, intestinal motility, intestinal fluid accumulation, and delaying the onset of diarrhea as compared with controls were observed in mice treated with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg methanol crude extract. However the effect increased dose-dependently, and the 400 mg/kg methanol crude extract produced a comparable effect with the standard drug in all models. Amongst the solvent fractions, n-BF significantly delayed the time of diarrheal onset and reduced the frequency of defecation, and intestinal motility at doses of 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg. Furthermore, the maximum percentage inhibition of intestinal fluid accumulation was observed in mice treated with 400 mg/kg n-butanol extract (p˂0.01; 61.05%). ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that crude extract and solvent fractions of Rhamnus prinoides leaves showed a significant anti-diarrheal activity which supports its traditional use as a diarrhea treatment.

Antidiarrheal activities of methanolic crude extract and solvent fractions of the root of Verbascum sinaiticum Benth. (Scrophularaceae) in mice

BackgroundIn Ethiopian traditional medicine, V. sinaiticum is one of the most often utilized medicinal herbs for the treatment of diarrhea. Therefore, this study was conducted to validate the use of the plant for the treatment of diarrhea in the traditional medical practice of Ethiopia. MethodsCastor oil-induced diarrhea, enteropooling, and intestinal motility test models in mice were used to evaluate the antidiarrheal properties of the 80% methanol crude extract and the solvent fractions of the root component of V. sinaiticum. The effects of the crude extract and the fractions on time for onset, frequency, weight, and water content of diarrheal feces, intestinal fluid accumulation, and intestinal transit of charcoal meal were evaluated and compared with the corresponding results in the negative control. ResultsThe crude extract (CE), aqueous fraction (AQF), and ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) at 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) significantly delayed the onset of diarrhea. Besides, the CE and AQF at 200 and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) of the doses, and EAF at 200 (p < 0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) significantly decreased the frequency of diarrheal stools. Furthermore, CE, AQF, and EAF at their three serial doses (p < 0.001), significantly reduced the weights of the fresh diarrheal stools as compared to the negative control. The CE and AQF at 100 (p < 0.01), and 200 and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) of their doses and EAF at 200 (p < 0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) significantly decreased the fluid contents of diarrheal stools compared to the negative control. In the enteropooling test, the CE at 100 (p < 0.05), and 200 and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001), AQF at 200 (P < 0.05) and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.01), and EAF at 200 (p < 0.01) and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) significantly decreased the weights of intestinal contents compared to the negative control. Additionally, the CE at 100 and 200 (p < 0.05) and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001), AQF at 100 (p < 0.05), 200 (p < 0.01), and 400 mg/kg (p < 0.001) of the doses, and EAF at 400 mg/kg (p < 0.05), produced significant reductions in the volumes of intestinal contents. In the intestinal motility test model, the CE, AQF, and EAF at all their serial doses (p < 0.001), significantly suppressed the intestinal transit of charcoal meal and peristaltic index compared to the negative control. ConclusionOverall, the results of this study showed that the crude extract and the solvent fractions of the root parts of V. sinaiticum had considerable in vivo antidiarrheal activities. Besides, the crude extract, especially at 400 mg/kg, produced the highest effect followed by the aqueous fraction at the same dose. This might indicate that the bioactive compounds responsible for the effects are more of hydrophilic in nature. Moreover, the antidiarrheal index values were increased with the doses of the extract and the fractions, suggesting that the treatments might have dose-dependent antidiarrheal effects. Additionally, the extract was shown to be free of observable acute toxic effects. Thus, this study corroborates the use the root parts of V. sinaiticum to treat diarrhea in the traditional settings. Furthermore, the findings of this study are encouraging and may be used as the basis to conduct further studies in the area including chemical characterization and molecular based mechanism of actions of the plant for its confirmed antidiarrheal effects.

English

The leaves of Crossepteryx febrifuga (Euphorbiaceae) are commonly used in the Republic of Congo in traditional medicine as a laxative. The present study aims to justify the traditional use of C. febrifuga in the treatment of constipation. The acute toxicity of the aqueous extract was evaluated at the doses of 2000 and 5000 mg/kg in mice in accordance with the OECD (2001) guideline no. 423. The laxative activity of the aqueous extract&nbsp;&nbsp; at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg was evaluated in normal rats, in rats made constipated rats by loperamide hydrochloride as well as on the accumulation of liquid intestinal. The results obtained showed that the aqueous extract at a dose of 2000 mg/kg does not modify the general behavior of mice and does not cause mortality. However, sedation and mortality were observed at the dose of 5000 mg/kg of the aqueous extract. Thus, the aqueous extract would be weakly toxic, with an LD50 &gt; 4000 mg/kg. Furthermore, it appears from this study that loperamide caused constipation in all normal rats during the three days of treatment, which resulted in a significant decrease (p?0.01 and p?0.001) in fecal parameters except the body weight of the animals which increased significantly (p ?0.01) compared to the control group. In addition, Normacol* and aqueous extract (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly (p?0.001) increase faecal parameters compared to control group. In addition, the aqueous extract significantly increases (p&lt;0.001) the accumulation of intestinal fluid and stimulates the excessive secretion of Na+ ions. These results show that C. febrifuga has laxative properties which could be justified by the presence of anthraquinones, flavonoids, alkaloids and saponosides highlighted in this plant. Key words: Crossopteryx febrifuga, aqueous extract, acute toxicity, laxative activity.

Anti-Diarrheal Activities of Hydromethanolic Crude Extract and Solvent Fractions of Acacia seyal (Fabaceae) Roots in Mice.

Traditionally, the root of Acacia seyal is used for the treatment of diarrhea. However, its efficacy has not been scientifically evaluated. Thus, this study aimed to validate the antidiarrheal activities using hydromethanolic crude extract and solvent fractions of Acacia seyal roots in mice. In each model, mice were divided into five groups of six mice at random. Group I mice (negative controls) were given 1mL/100 g distilled water for hydromethanolic crude extract tests as well as n-hexane, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions, while groups II, III, and IV were given 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg of hydromethanolic crude extract or solvent fractions. Group V mice (positive control) were given 3 mg/kg Loperamide for the castor oil-induced diarrhea and enteropooling test. All of the doses were taken orally. However, Atropine sulfate, 5 mg/kg, was given intraperitoneally for the gastrointestinal motility test. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used to examine the statistical significance of differences in the number and weight of wet and total feces, distance traveled by a charcoal meal, and intestinal fluid accumulation across groups. When compared to the vehicle-treated group, the crude extract and n-hexane fraction notably delayed the onset of diarrhea, reduced the weight and volume of intestinal contents, and hindered the intestinal transit at all tested doses (P < 0.001). The ethyl acetate fraction also significantly (P < 0.001) decreased the weight of intestinal content at all doses examined. Only at 400 mg/kg did the aqueous fraction statistically (P < 0.01) prolonged the onset of diarrhea and impeded gastrointestinal motility. According to this study, the hydromethanolic crude extract and solvent fractions of Acacia seyal roots have promising antidiarrheal effects.

The Enterotoxin Production and Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter Strains Originating from Slaughter Animals

The pathogenicity of animal-origin Campylobacter strains, including antimicrobial resistance and enterotoxigenicity, was determined in this study. Overall, 149 Campylobacter isolates originating from cattle, swine and poultry were tested. The antimicrobial resistance profiles were examined by the diffusion disk method. The dominant resistance pattern was CIP_TET. The resistance rates for ciprofloxacin among swine, cattle and poultry isolates were 84%, 51% and 66%, respectively; for tetracycline, they were 82%, 57.1% and 76%, respectively. None of the obtained isolates was resistant to all four antimicrobials tested. The ability to produce enterotoxins was assessed by the use of a suckling mouse bioassay, with intestinal fluid accumulation as a positive result, and by CHO assay, with the elongation of cells as a positive result. The ability to produce enterotoxins was significantly higher among cattle isolates (61.2% and 71.4% positive isolates, respectively, in the bioassay and the CHO assay) than among swine (16% and 32% positive isolates, respectively) or poultry isolates (14% and 22% positive isolates, respectively). A strong positive correlation between in vitro and in vivo enterotoxicity tests was demonstrated.

Antioxidant Properties, Phytoactive Compounds and Potential Protective Action of Salvia officinalis Flowers Against Combined Gastro-Intestinal Ulcer and Diarrhea Experimentally Induced in Rat.

The present study was conducted to investigate the protective action of Salvia officinalis flowers aqueous extract (SOFAE) against combined gastro-intestinal (GI) disorders-induced by ethanol and castor oil administration in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups of ten each and various doses of SOFAE (50, 100, and 200 mg kg−1, b.w., p.o.) and sulfasalazine (100 mg kg−1, b.w., p.o.) were daily administrated during 15 days. After, animals were intoxicated with a single oral administration of ethanol (4 g kg−1, b.w., p.o.) and castor oil (5 mL kg−1, b.w., p.o.). We found that SOFAE contains several phytoactive compounds with a strong ABTS scavenging ability. In vivo, we showed that SOFAE protected against EtOH/CO-induced macroscopic and histological alterations in GI tract accompanied by intestinal fluid accumulation and gastric juice decrease. SOFAE significantly counteracted lipoperoxydation increase and reversed the depletion of both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. More importantly, SOFAE significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory markers (CRP and ALP) in plasma and mucosal GI tract. In conclusion, our data clearly indicate that the SOFAE exerted a potential protective effect against EtOH-induced peptic ulcer combined with CO-induced diarrhea in rats. These effects could be associated with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Effect of coconut water and milk on heat stress-induced gastrointestinal tract dysmotility in rats: Role of oxidative stress and inflammatory response.

The potential effects of coconut water (CCW) and milk (CCM) on gastrointestinal motility {intestinal transit (IT), intestinal fluid accumulation (IFA) and colonic motility}, tissue oxidative, and inflammatory responses in heat-stressed rats were investigated. There were four (4) temperature exposure groups; (i) Control at 30°C, (CON), (ii) heat-stressed (HS) group exposed to the ambiance of 40°C, (iii) heat-stressed pre-treated with coconut water (HS+ CCW), and (iv) coconut milk (HS+CCM). Skin temperatures (ST) and rectal temperatures (RT) were taken daily, before and after 2hr heat exposure. GE, IT, and IFA were assessed using standard methods while colonic motility was assessed by colonic bead expulsion (CBE) time after the 14-day exposure. Serum cortisol and lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activities, inflammatory cytokines in intestinal samples were assessed. Stomach and intestinal morphology were equally examined on histomorphometry. Increased GE, IT, IFA, and colonic motility were observed in HS. CCW and CCM reversed the increases in GE, IT, IFA, and colonic motility in the heat-stressed rats (p<.05). Elevated serum cortisol level and intestinal MDA were significantly reduced in the CCW and CCM treated. Tissue GPx, T-AOC, and T-SOD were all enhanced in HS+CCW and HS+CCM. While tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were suppressed in the HS group, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were enhanced with CCW and CCM. Altered intestinal morphology in the HS was also significantly mitigated by CCW and CCM. We showed that coconut water and milk could ameliorate intestinal dysmotility associated with heat stress via oxidative stress reduction and suppression of inflammatory responses. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Heat stress impacts negatively on intestinal health and integrity in both humans and animals via oxidative stress and inflammation. Conversely, coconut has demonstrated anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties in health and medicinal applications. From the findings of this study, coconut water and milk display beneficial potentials against the untoward heat stress effect on gastrointestinal health.

Methanolic extract of Pycreus polystachyos possesses potent antidiarrheal activity that varies in male and female mice

Pycreus polystachyos is a well-known weed grown typically in ditches, grasslands, rice fields, etc. The whole plant is traditionally used against diarrhea. The present study was aimed to examine antidiarrheal of whole plant of Pycreus polystachyos in male and female mice model. Antidiarrheal activity was evaluated using two tests such as castor oil induced diarrhea and castor oil induced enteropooling at three extract concentrations- 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg.bw. Total flavonoids and tannins contents were also measured. The plant extract showed potent effect in prevention of castor oil induced diarrhea. Mice of both sexes showed greater effect than standard drug loperamide at 400 mg/kg.bw; the effect was substantially higher in male mice than female producing 64.77% and 38.04% in male and female respectively. Loperamide produced 35.28% and 33.70% inhibition in male and female mice respectively. In enteropooling test, both percent reduction in weight and volume of intestinal content were increased as doses of extract increased. Potent inhibition in intestinal fluid accumulation was evident from percent reduction in mean fluid volume. Male and female mice showed fluid reductions by 45.87% and 33.29% respectively while loperamide reduced it by 44.73% and 25.32%. Total flavonoids and tannins contents were found 13.44 mg Quercetin equivalent/g and 118.5 mg Gallic Acid equivalent/g respectively. The experiment endorses the folkloric use of P. polystachyos in diarrhea.

Anti-diarrhoeal effect of methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida Brenan and Keay in rats

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-diarrhoeal activity of 20 % methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida (MLFC) using castor oil-induced diarrhoea model in rats.&#x0D; Methods: The activity of MLFC against castor oil-induced diarrhoea, intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling), and gastrointestinal motility were evaluated. The experimental animals were grouped into five, each with four animals. Group 1 received distilled water, while group 2 received loperamide and served as negative and standard control groups respectively. Groups 3 - 5 were administered 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg of MLFC respectively. One-hour post-treatment, castor oil (p.o.) was used to induce diarrhoea in all the groups. The activity of MLFC was tested against castor oil-induced looseness of stool, fluid accumulation in the intestine and intestinal motility of charcoal meal. Its effect on electrolyte concentration in the small intestinal content was assessed; furthermore, its effect on the electrolyte concentrations of Na+, Cl-, K+, and HCO3- in supernatants obtained from the intestinal loop effluents of the rats was evaluated.&#x0D; Results: The MLFC produced a significant (p &lt; 0.05) and dose-dependent decrease in the severity of diarrhoea and frequency of watery stool passed in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, enteropooling, gastrointestinal transit of charcoal meal in rats and serum concentrations of sodium and chloride ions, while significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in potassium and bicarbonate ion concentrations were observed when compared with diarrhoeal control group. Similar inhibitory effects were obtained for loperamide control group.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida possesses anti-diarrhoeal properties by inhibiting intestinal peristalsis and hypersecretion of water and electrolytes. Thus, the findings lend some support to the traditional use of the plant for the treatment of diarrhoea.

Anti-diarrhoeal effect of methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida Brenan and Keay in rats

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-diarrhoeal activity of 20 % methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida (MLFC) using castor oil-induced diarrhoea model in rats.&#x0D; Methods: The activity of MLFC against castor oil-induced diarrhoea, intestinal fluid accumulation (enteropooling), and gastrointestinal motility were evaluated. The experimental animals were grouped into five, each with four animals. Group 1 received distilled water, while group 2 received loperamide and served as negative and standard control groups respectively. Groups 3 - 5 were administered 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg of MLFC respectively. One-hour post-treatment, castor oil (p.o.) was used to induce diarrhoea in all the groups. The activity of MLFC was tested against castor oil-induced looseness of stool, fluid accumulation in the intestine and intestinal motility of charcoal meal. Its effect on electrolyte concentration in the small intestinal content was assessed; furthermore, its effect on the electrolyte concentrations of Na+, Cl-, K+, and HCO3- in supernatants obtained from the intestinal loop effluents of the rats was evaluated.&#x0D; Results: The MLFC produced a significant (p &lt; 0.05) and dose-dependent decrease in the severity of diarrhoea and frequency of watery stool passed in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, enteropooling, gastrointestinal transit of charcoal meal in rats and serum concentrations of sodium and chloride ions, while significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in potassium and bicarbonate ion concentrations were observed when compared with diarrhoeal control group. Similar inhibitory effects were obtained for loperamide control group.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that methanol leaf fraction of Cola hispida possesses anti-diarrhoeal properties by inhibiting intestinal peristalsis and hypersecretion of water and electrolytes. Thus, the findings lend some support to the traditional use of the plant for the treatment of diarrhoea.

Ebola virus delta peptide is an enterotoxin.

During the 2013-2016 West African (WA) Ebola virus (EBOV) outbreak, severe gastrointestinal symptoms were common in patients and associated with poor outcome. Delta peptide is a conserved product of post-translational processing of the abundant EBOV soluble glycoprotein (sGP). The murine ligated ileal loop model was used to demonstrate that delta peptide is a potent enterotoxin. Dramatic intestinal fluid accumulation follows injection of biologically relevant amounts of delta peptide into ileal loops, along with gross alteration of villous architecture and loss of goblet cells. Transcriptomic analyses show that delta peptide triggers damage response and cell survival pathways and downregulates expression of transporters and exchangers. Induction of diarrhea by delta peptide occurs via cellular damage and regulation of genes that encode proteins involved in fluid secretion. While distinct differences exist between the ileal loop murine model and EBOV infection in humans, these results suggest that delta peptide may contribute to EBOV-induced gastrointestinal pathology.

Comparative assessment of the anti-diarrhoeal effects of the ethanol leaf and stem extracts of lantana camara in Wistar rats

The antidiarrhoeal effects of Lantana camara ethanol leaf and stem extracts were compared in Wistar rats. The phytochemical and acute toxicity tests were also determined. The extracts were evaluated for castor oil- induced diarrhoea and enteropooling as well as intestinal transit in rats. The ethanol stem extract produced significant (P &lt; 0.05), while the ethanol leaf extract produced significant (P &lt; 0.01) dose dependent protection on rats against castor oil induced diarrhoea. The stem extract inhibited intestinal transit time and caused significant (P &lt; 0.05), while leaf extract caused significant (P &lt; 0.01) dose related inhibition of castor oil induced enteropooling in rats, comparable to the standard drugs. The leaf and stem extracts significantly and dose dependently delayed the onset of castor oil induced diarrhoea, decreased the frequency of defecation and reduced the severity of diarrhoea in rats. The ethanol leaf and stem extracts of L. camara significantly and dose dependently decreased the volume of intestinal fluid accumulation in the castor oil induced enteropooling. The distance travelled by charcoal meal in intestinal transit time was also reduced. The oral LD50 values obtained were greater than 5000 mg/kg in rats. These findings suggest that both ethanol leaf and stem extracts of Lantana camara may contain some biologically active ingredients that are active for the treatment of diarrhoea in Nigerian herbal traditional medicine. However, the leaf extract has more antidiarrhoeal activities compared to the stem extract in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal in Wistar rats.

Antidiarrhoeal potentials of methanol bark extract of Hymenocardia Acida Tul (Euphorbiaceae) in laboratory animals

BackgroundThe plant Hymenocardia acida (Euphorbiaceae) is utilized as herbal preparation against diarrhoea, dysentery and other diseases. We aimed to determine the antidiarrhoeal potentials of Hymenocardia acida (MEHA) stem bark in vivo and in vitro. Preliminary phytochemical contents, as well as the acute toxicity effect of the extract, were investigated based on standard experimental methods. The antidiarrhoeal properties of the MEHA at 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg were studied against diarrhoea induced by castor oil, intestinal fluid accumulation, as well as intestinal movement tests using distilled water (10 ml/kg) and loperamide/atropine sulphate as the control groups. Besides, the in vitro effects of the extract (8 × 10−2–640 × 10−2 mg/ml) on the rabbit jejunum and guinea-pig ileum were evaluated.ResultsPhytochemical screening showed alkaloids, glycoside, saponins, tannins, triterpenes, flavonoids and steroids in the MEHA. The median lethal dose (LD50) of the MEHA after oral administration was approximately greater than 2000 mg/kg. The MEHA declined the diarrhoea onset and remarkably decreased the number of watery stools in the group that received 300 and 600 mg/kg. It also elicited a remarkable and non-dose-dependent reduction in the intestinal fluid volume. At 1000 mg/kg, the MEHA significantly inhibited the charcoal movement. In addition, the MEHA (8 × 10−2–640 × 10−2 mg/ml) elicited a remarkable decrease in the contractility of the rabbit jejunum over time and relaxed the guinea pig ileum. Besides, it showed concentration-dependent attenuation of the acetylcholine and histamine-induced contraction.ConclusionThe extract under investigation revealed promising antidiarrhoeal properties that justified its traditional claim for use against diarrhoea.

Proteomic Analysis and In Vivo Studies Reveal the Potential Gastroprotective Effects of CHCl3 and Aqueous Extracts of Ficus palmata.

Ficus palmata is rich in several phytochemicals such as chromone, isoflavones, terpenes, lignans, coumarins, glycosides, and furanocoumarins and have been traditionally used for the management of different gastrointestinal disorders. This research reveals the effects of Ficus palmata fruit extracts—Ficus palmata chloroform (Fp.CHCl3) and Ficus palmata aqueous (Fp.Aq)—on gut activity through in vivo and in vitro analyses. Antidiarrheal and enteropooling assays were analyzed with castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation. Jejunum tissues of rabbits were isolated (antispasmodic) for in vitro experiments. Antimotility was carried out by charcoal meal for determining transient time, and ethanol-induced ulcer assay was used to measure the ulceration of stomach; molecular pathways were assessed through proteomic approach. Fp.CHCl3 and Fp.Aq extracts attributed dose-dependently protection against diarrhea, and intestinal fluid secretions were inhibited dose dependently. Extracts of Fp.CHCl3 and Fp.Aq produced reduction in spontaneous and K+ (at 80 Mm)-induced contractions in isolated jejunum tissues, along with the decreased length covered by charcoal in charcoal meal transient time activity. The extract exhibited gastroprotective outcome in rats and reduced tumor necrotic factor (TNF-α) levels and IL-18, measured by proteomic approach. Morphological studies' results showed that ethanol induced significant gastritis, apoptosis, swelling of mucosa, and hydropic degeneration leading to cellular degeneration and necrosis, observed through staining techniques. Furthermore, ethanol activated the inflammation pathway in all gastric zones by elevating the levels of cyclooxygenase-2, TNF-α, and nuclear factor kappa light-chain enhancer of activated B-cells. Overall results expressed the antidiarrheal, antispasmodic, enteropooling, antimotility, and antiulcer activities of Ficus palmata fruit extract.

Antidiarrheal, Antimicrobial, and Antioxidant Properties of the Aqueous Extract of Tunisian Persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) Fruits.

Medicinal plants were used to prevent and treat numerous gastrointestinal disorders owing, in part, to their antioxidant capacity. The protective effects of Diospyros kaki fruit aqueous extract (DKFAE) against castor oil (CO)-induced diarrhea was studied. The in vitro antioxidant and antibacterial properties were investigated using colorimetric and biochemical analyses. In vivo, 60 male rats were divided into 6 groups of 10 animals each (n = 10): control (C), CO, CO+various doses of DKFAE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg, b.w., p.o.), and CO+loperamide (LOP, 10 mg/kg, b.w., p.o.).The DKFAE was rich in tannins and showed interesting antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) analysis resulted in the identification of 16 phenolic compounds, among which quinic acid was the main one. The in vivo study showed that diarrhea was accompanied by an oxidative stress status as measured by an increase of lipid peroxidation, a decrease of glutathione and thiol group levels, as well as antioxidant enzyme activity depletion, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. The DKFAE administration significantly decreased the gastrointestinal transit in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, DKFAE protected against CO-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation. Interestingly, DKFAE pretreatment counteracted all the oxidative stress status deregulation induced by CO intoxication. D. kaki fruit could be suggested for its strong protective effect against CO-induced acute diarrhea, which could be explained, in part, to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.