title: Protective effect of Arque-Ajeeb on acute experimental diarrhoea in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diarrhoea is a major health problem for children worldwide, accounting for 5-8 million deaths each year. Arque-Ajeeb (AA) is a compound formulation of Unani medicine. It is reputed for its beneficial effects in the treatment of diarrhoea and cholera, but the claim of its efficacy is yet to be tested. Therefore the present study has been planned to investigate the real efficacy of this drug in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of Arque-Ajeeb was investigated for antidiarrhoeal activity against charcoal-induced gut transit, serotonin-induced diarrhoea and PGE2-induced small intestine enteropooling in rats. The control, standard and test groups of experimental animals were administered with normal saline (p.o.), diphenoxylate hydrochloride (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and Arque-Ajeeb (0.07 ml and 0.14 ml/kg, p.o.) respectively except the control group of PGE2-induced small intestine enteropooling which received only 5% ethanol in normal saline (i.p.). Charcoal (10 ml/kg, p.o.) and serotonin (600 micrograms/kg, i.p.) were administered after 30 min, while PGE2 (100 micrograms/kg, p.o.) was administered immediately afterwards. The distance traveled by charcoal in small intestine was measured after 15 and 30 min of charcoal administration, diarrhoea was observed every 30-min for six hour after serotonin administration and the volume of intestinal fluid was measured after 30 min of PGE2 administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arque-Ajeeb (0.07 ml and 0.14 ml/kg) significantly inhibited the frequency of defaecation and decreased the propulsion of charcoal meal through the gastrointestinal tract, reduced the wetness of faecal droppings in serotonin-induced diarrhoea and also reduced the PGE2-induced small intestine enteropooling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arque-Ajeeb may have potential to reduce the diarrhoea in rats. Thus the drug may prove to be an alternate remedy in diarrhoea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ilmul Advia (Pharmacology), Faculty of Unani Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002, Uttar Pradesh, India. mohdaleemkhan_amu@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Mohd Aleem
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Naeem Ahmad
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Iqbal Ahmad
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Qasmi
authors.forename: Ghufran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Shadab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zafar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019661:Apiaceae; D002164:Camphor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000494:pharmacology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015232:Dinoprostone; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D027541:Mentha; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds; D012701:Serotonin
chemical_list: D000930:Antidiarrheals; C491472:Arque-Ajeeb; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002606:Charcoal; D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol; D002164:Camphor; D015232:Dinoprostone