Antidiarrhoeal activity of the ethanol extract of Paederia foetida Linn. (Rubiaceae)

J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr 21;105(1-2):125-30. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.10.004. Epub 2005 Nov 17.

Abstract

Paederia foetida L. is used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery in Asia, but has not been investigated for its antidiarrhoeal properties. Antidiarrhoeal activity of 90% ethanol extract of Paederia foetida was investigated in this study using castor oil and magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea models in mice. The extract significantly increased the latent period of diarrhoea in both the models. In the castor oil study, the purging index (PI) value lowered in 1 h of the study at (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) doses. The effect continued up to 6-h period only at 500 mg/kg dose. The plant notably reduced the purging index value in a dose-dependent manner in magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea. Paederia foetida, in general, reduced the gastrointestinal motility with barium sulphate milk both in 15- and 30-min time intervals. The extract significantly decreased the cisplatin-induced gastrointestinal motility at all doses at both time intervals. The extract also enhanced the morphine-induced reduction of motility at 500 mg/kg dose level at both time intervals. The results suggest that Paederia foetida showed antidiarrhoeal activity by inhibiting intestinal motility and justify its use in traditional medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antidiarrheals / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Ethanol / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Motility / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rubiaceae / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antidiarrheals
  • Plant Extracts
  • Ethanol