title: Antidiarrhoeal effects of methanolic root extract of Hemidesmus indicus (Indian sarsaparilla)--an in vitro and in vivo study.
abstract: Methanolic extract of H. indicus root (MHI) was screened for its antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, E. coli and S. flexneri, in vitro and in experimentally induced diarrhoea in albino rats, in vivo. MHI had an anti enterobacteriae effect as evident from agar well diffusion method and decrease in CFU/ml in MHI treated LB broth culture. MHI inhibited the castor oil induced diarrhoea in rats as judged by a decrease in the amount of wet faeces in MHI-pretreated rats at a dose of 500-1500 mg/kg. The results indicated that MHI was more active than standard antidiarrhoeal drug, lomotil. Phytochemical tests revealed the main constituents as tannins, steroids, triterpenoids and carbohydrates. Present findings suggested that MHI might elicit an antidiarrhoeal effect by inhibition of intestinal motility and by its bacteriocidal activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025, India.
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: S Niranjali
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Devaraj
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D002368:Castor Oil / Q000633:toxicity; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D031102:Hemidesmus / Q000737:chemistry*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002368:Castor Oil; D000432:Methanol