Volume 163, 2 April 2015, Pages 135–141
Antidiarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of Mangifera indica L. leaves in female albino rats
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
Mangifera indica
L. leaves have a long history of indigenous use, as an antidiarrhoeal
agent among others, without any scientific study that has substantiated
or refuted this claim. Therefore, the aims of this study were to
determine the secondary metabolites in the aqueous extract of Mangifera indica leaves and its acclaimed antidiarrhoeal activity in rats.
Materials and methods
The aqueous leaf extract of Mangifera indica
was screened for its constituent secondary plant metabolites. In each
of the diarrhoeal models, female albino rats were assigned into 5 groups
(A, B, C, D and E) containing five animals each such that rats in
groups A and B were the positive and negative controls respectively
while those in groups C, D and E received 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body
weight of the extract respectively in addition to specific requirements
of the model.
Results
The
extract contained alkaloids (4.20 mg/g), flavonoids (13.60 mg/g),
phenolics (1.50 mg/g) and saponins (3.10 mg/g) while tannins,
anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides and steroids were not detected. In
the castor oil-induced diarrhoeal model, the onset time of diarrhoea was
significantly prolonged by the 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight whereas
there was no episode in the 100 mg/kg body weight treated animals. The
extract (25 and 50 mg/kg body weight) decreased the number, water
content, fresh weight and total number of wet feaces and increased the
inhibition of defecations. All the doses of the extract significantly
increased the Na+ –K+ ATPase activity in the small
intestine. The extract dose dependently decreased the masses and volume
of intestinal fluid with corresponding increase in inhibition of
intestinal fluid content in the castor oil-induced enteropooling model.
The extract also reduced the distance travelled by charcoal meal in the
30 min gastrointestinal transit model. All these changes were similar to
the reference drugs with the 100 mg/kg body weight of the extract
exhibiting the most profound antidiarrhoeal activity.
Conclusion
The study concluded that the aqueous extract of Mangifera indica
leaves possess antidiarrhoeal activity in chemical induced diarrhoeal
models and thus justifies its age long folkloric use in managing
diarrhoea. The presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolics, saponins
and enhancement of Na+ –K+ ATPase activity might play roles in the antidiarrhoeal activity of the plant extract.
Graphical abstract
Abbreviations
- Na+ – K+ ATPase, Sodium Potassium Adenosine Triphosphatase;
- AlCl3, Aluminium chloride;
- MgSO4, Magnesium Tetraoxosulphate (VI);
- WHO, World Health Organization;
- UIH, University of Ilorin Herbarium;
- GRA, Government Reservation Area;
- SEM, Standard Error of Mean;
- cAMP, Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate;
- PGEs, Prostaglandin E series;
- H1R, Histamine Receptor 1;
- H2R, Histamine Receptor 2;
- H3R, Histamine Receptor 3;
- H4R, Histamine Receptor 4
Chemical compounds studied in this article
- Adenosine triphosphate (PubChem CID: 13803);
- Agarose agar (PubChem CID: 71571511);
- Atropine sulphate (PubChem CID: 64663);
- Castor oil (PubChem CID: 140300006);
- Charcoal (PubChem CID: 297);
- Loperamide hydrochloride (PubChem CID: 71420)
Keywords
- Mangifera indica;
- Anacardiaceae;
- Anti-diarrhoea;
- Castor oil;
- Diarrhoeal models
- Corresponding author. Tel.:
+234 8037544437.
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