Potential Anti-diarrhoeal Activity of Aqueous Root Extract of Hydnora abyssinica in Rats

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate potential anti-diarrhoeal activity of the orally administrated water extract of Hydnora abyssinica roots to rats. The potential activity of the extract was tested by faecal mass inhibition. Twenty-four albino rats were divided into 5 groups (a control + 3 test groups + loperamide group) receiving oral doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg extract/kg body weight/rat, 3 mg loperamide (reference anti-diarrhoeal drug)/kg body weight/rat and 1 ml/kg body weight/rat of normal saline (control). All the rats were orally given, 30 minutes subsequent to extract administration, an acute diarrhoea inducer (1 ml castor oil/ kg body weight/rat). The weight of faeces was recorded at 4 and 6 hours for assessment of diarrhoeal inhibition. The extract showed a significant (P≤0.05) anti-diarrhoeal activity against castor oil induced diarrhoea in all rats at the 4th hrs post treatment with reduction rates of 46.78%, 63.21% and 74.68% for the doses 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The same doses recorded inhibition rates of 27.42%, 50.88% and 60.13%, respectively, at the 6th hours post treatment. Serum samples were taken at 4 and 24 hrs and analyzed for enzymatic activities of AST and ALT, metabolic indicators, total protein, albumin, sodium, potassium and calcium. Metabolic indicators, total protein, albumin, sodium, potassium and calcium showed significant increase while calcium showed significant decrease. The antidiarrhoeal effect produced by H. abyssinica can be due to inhibition of prostaglandin, the diarrhoeal inducer or due to antimotility and antisecretary activity of the plant extract. It is concluded that the results support the claim of traditional practioners about the therapeutic values of H. abyssinica for treatment of diarrhoea in traditional medicine.