European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EVALUATION OF ANTIDIARRHEAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF TAXUS BACCATA IN WISTAR RATS

Shalini Adiga, Meena Kumari K*, Shivakumar Reddy K and Ashok.M

ABSTRACT

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of alcoholic leaf extract of Taxus baccata.The models used in this study were castor oil induced diarrhea in rats, castor oil induced enteropooling, charcoal meal test and the effect of Taxus baccata on isolated rat ileum. Each model consisted four groups, control, standard (loperamide), Taxus baccata leaf extract 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg were used. It was noticed that the fecal weight was reduced in the doses 100 and 200 mg/kg significantly in comparison to control. The mean intestinal fluid volume was reduced only in the group dosed with Taxus baccata leaf extract 200 mg/kg, and at this dose it also decreased the propulsion of charcoal meal through the gastrointestinal tract in comparison to the control. On the isolated rat ileum the leaf extract of Taxus baccata demonstrated inhibitory effect to the acetylcholine induced intestinal contractions. Due to its effect of decreasing intestinal secretions and also decreasing the intestinal propulsive movement, the leaf extract of Taxus baccata could be a potential antidiarrheal agent in herbal medicine.

Keywords: charcoal meal test, enteropooling, intestinal fluid volume.