Experimental evaluation of Myracrodruon urundeuva bark extract for antidiarrhoeal activity

✍ Scribed by M. C. Chaves; F. A. Santos; A. M. S. Menezes; V. S. N. Rao

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 54 KB
• Volume: 12
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0951-418X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(199812)12:8<549::aid-ptr357>3.0.co;2-l

✦ Synopsis

The bark of M. urundeuva (Anacardiaceae) used in popular medicine as an antidiarrhoeal agent has been investigated for its effects on castor oil-induced diarrhoea and on intestinal motility. In rats, the ethanol extract of stem bark significantly inhibited the castor oil-induced diarrhoea, small intestinal transit and accumulation of fluid volume at an oral dose of 400 mg/kg. Furthermore, the plant extract caused marked inhibition of the contractile responses evoked by acetylcholine and histamine on guinea-pig ileum in vitro. These results point to a possible antidiarrhoeic effect of M. urundeuva bark extract since inhibition of intestinal motility and secretion can greatly control clinical diarrhoea.