title: Studies on the antidiarrhoeal effect of dragon's blood from Croton urucurana.
abstract: The red sap obtained by slashing the bark of Croton urucurana Baill. (Euphorbiaceae), also known as dragon's blood, was screened for a possible antidiarrhoeal activity on castor oil-induced diarrhoea in rats, cholera toxin-induced intestinal secretion in mice and on small intestinal transit in mice. Dragon's blood at an oral dose of 600 mg/kg caused in marked inhibition of the diarrhoeal response following castor oil administration as well as the intestinal fluid accumulation promoted by cholera toxin. At a similar dose the red sap significantly inhibited the small intestinal transit which was, however, found to be independent of the opioid mechanism. These results suggest a potential usefulness of the red sap from Croton urucurana Baill. in the control of secretory diarrhoea associated pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, FM, Universidade Federal do Ceará, C.P. 3157, 60430-270, Fortaleza, C.E., Brazil.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gurgel
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: P O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002368:Castor Oil; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019665:Euphorbiaceae; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000930:Antidiarrheals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002368:Castor Oil; D002772:Cholera Toxin