title: Effects of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall on caecal amoebiasis in mice.
abstract: The anti-amoebic effects of crude methanol extracts of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall against Entamoeba histolytica infecting the caecum of mice were studied. Caecal amoebiasis in mice was induced by injection of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites directly into the caecum. The mice were then treated orally with the extract, a standard drug (metronidazole), or vehicle p.o. for five consecutive days, beginning 24 h after the infection and were examined on the sixth day. At a dose of 1000 mg/kg per day, the extracts of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall had a curative rate of 100, 40 and 26%, respectively. At a concentration of 500 and 250 mg/kg/day, extract from Piper longum fruit was still effective in 93 and 46% of the cases, respectively, while extract from Piper sarmentosum root at a dose of less than 1000 mg/kg per day did not cure any mice from amoebiasis. Extract of Quercus infectoria nut gall at a concentration of 500 and of 250 mg/kg per day cured 26 and 13% of mice, respectively. Metronidazole at a concentration of 125 and of 62.5 mg/kg per day had a curative rate of 100 and 60%, respectively. The severity of caecal wall ulceration was reduced in mice which received the extract and metronidazole as compared to the control animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hatyai, Songkhla 90112, Thailand. snongyao@ratree.psu.ac.th
authors.forename: Nongyao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sawangjaroen
authors.forename: Kitja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawangjaroen
authors.forename: Pathana
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poonpanang
mesh_terms: D000563:Amebicides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D002432:Cecum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004404:Dysentery, Amebic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D031701:Piper; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots; D010941:Plant Tumors; D029963:Quercus
chemical_list: D000563:Amebicides; D010936:Plant Extracts