The antidiarrheal activity of the methanol extract of some plants native toAl-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

摘要

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity and the phytochemical constituents of methanol extracts of some plants native to Saudi Arabia. Castor oil-induced diarrhea and gastrointestinal motility test using charcoal meal method were examined. The methanolic extracts were initially assayed for their effects in castor oil-induced diarrhea at different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg b. wt.) followed by their evaluation on the peristaltic movements in charcoal meal test using atropine sulfate as a reference drug. The results of the present study indicate that, administration of the methanol extract of Cyperus conglomeratus, Rhazya stricta, Astragalus spinosus, Haloxylon salicornicum, Lasiurus scindicus, Heliotropium bacciferum, Lepidium sativum seeds, Plantago coronopus and Tribulus longipetalus had a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of diarrhea produced by castor oil. Additionally, these extracts significantly reduced the castor oil induced intestinal transit in a dose-dependent manner. The antidiarrheal activity of these plants might be due to their high contents of flavonoids, phenolics and tannins. It could be concluded that, the remarkable antidiarrheal activity of some of these plants attests to their utility in a wide range of status of diarrhea.