title: Antidiarrheal activity of extracts and compound from Trilepisium madagascariense stem bark.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was performed to evaluate the preventive and curative antidiarrheal effects of the methanol extract, fractions and compound from the stem bark of Trilepisium madagascariense in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methanol extract from the stem bark of T. madagascariense, its fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and aqueous residue) and compound (obtained from further column chromatography of the ethyl acetate fraction) were evaluated for the antidiarrheal activity in rats. These test samples (at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for the extract and fractions and 2.5 mg/kg for compound) were assayed on the latent periods, purging indices and fecal frequencies in castor oil-induced diarrhea. Gastrointestinal transit and castor oil-induced enteropooling assays were conducted. Shigella-induced diarrhea was assayed. Blood chemistry and fecal Shigella load were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The fractionation of the ethyl acetate fraction from the methanol extract of T. madagascariense afforded a known compound [isoliquiritigenin (1)]. Compound 1 increased the latent period of diarrhea induction (179.40 min) compared to the saline control (60.80 min). The purging indices, fecal frequencies and intestinal enteropooling decreased with an increase in the dose of test samples. The blood cell counts, sera creatinine and fecal Shigella load decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in the plant extract-treated rats compared to the saline control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our study, being reported for the first time, provide clear evidence that the methanol extract, fractions and isoliquiritigenin from T. madagascariense stem bark possess antidiarrheal activities.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology and Antimicrobial Substances, Faculty of Sciences, University of Dschang, PO Box 67 Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Gerald Ngo
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Teke
authors.forename: Jules-Roger
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kuiate
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kueté
authors.forename: Rémy Bertrand
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Teponno
authors.forename: Léon Azefack
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tapondjou
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vilarem