Effect of oral administration of Terminalia chebula on gastric emptying: an experimental study.
Terminalia chebula is a commonly advocated agent in Ayurveda for improving gastrointestinal motility. Charles Foster rats (150-200 gms of either sex) were divided into four groups as follows--Group 1 (n = 15) normal animals; Group II (n = 6) rats administered metoclopramide (1.35 mg/kg); Group III (n = 8) rats given atropine (0.45 mg/kg). These agents were injected intramuscularly, 30 mins before the experiment. Rats from Group IV (n = 8) were administered Terminalia chebula (100 mg/kg/day for 15 days orally). Metoclopramide and atropine have established prokinetic and antikinetic activities respectively and are therefore included for comparison. All rats were then given a test meal of methyl cellulose (1.5%) mixed with phenol red (50 mg/100 ml) orally and gastric emptying was measured 20 mins later. Gastric emptying of normal rats (Group I) was found to be 51.6 +/- 7.79%. Metoclopramide significantly increased the gastric emptying (76.33 +/- 12.37%; p < 0.01) and atropine inhibited the motility (% gastric emptying being 7.26 +/- 19.76%; p < 0.01). Terminalia chebula was found to increase the percent gastric emptying (86.57 +/- 6.65%; p < 0.01). Thus from this study it appears that Terminalia chebula can serve as an useful alternative to prokinetic drugs available today.
Tamhane
M D
MD
Ayurveda Research Centre, Department of Pharmacology, Seth GS Medical College, Parel, Mumbai.
Thorat
S P
SP
Rege
N N
NN
Dahanukar
S A
SA
D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000494:pharmacology; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats
D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001285:Atropine; D008787:Metoclopramide