Anti-spasmolytic and Anti-diarrheal Activities of Newbouldia laevis , Cola nitida and Acanthus montanus Extracts on Gastrointestinal Muscles

摘要

Background and Objective: In developing countries , diarrhea is the leading cause of death in children. Several medicinal plant s have been implicated in treatment of diarrhea. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-spasmolytic and anti-diarrhea properties of ethno medicinal plant s Newbouldia laevis , Cola nitida and Acanthus montanus. Materials and Methods: Forty male rats were divided into 8 groups of 5 rats each. About 1 mL castor oil was administered to the animals in each group to induce diarrhea. An hour later group 1 was administered 2 mL normal saline orally. Group 2 received 1 mg kgsup?1/sup Atropine (i.p). Group 3 and 4 received 400 and 800 mg kgsup?1/sup b.wt., of A. montanus leaf extract. Group 5 and 6 received 400 and 800 mg kgsup?1/sup of C. nitida leaf extract while group 7 and 8 received 400 and 800 mg kgsup?1/sup of N. laevis leaf extract. Thirty minutes later, 10 mL kgsup?1/sup of activated charcoal meal was administered orally. Animals were sacrificed by suffocation in chloroform chamber after 30 min. Data analysis was carried out with SPSS using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The results showed a significant (p?1/sup dose exhibited slightly lesser inhibition of movement of charcoal meal in the rat’s gastrointestinal tract (GIT) than that of the standard drug atropine. In contrary, N. laevis provoked more inhibition than that of the standard drug atropine. Like atropine, the three extracts significantly (pConclusion: The results therefore indicate that the extracts may possess possible anticholinergic properties and may prove valuable in disease management including diarrhea muscular spasms and other related diseases.