title: Trichosanthes dioica root possesses stimulant laxative activity in mice.
abstract: Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae), named 'pointed gourd' in English, is a dioecious climber grown in India. This study was aimed at evaluating the laxative activity of the aqueous extract of T. dioica root (TDA) in Swiss albino mice. The laxative activity of TDA (100 and 200 mg kg(-1) body weight per os) was evaluated by assessing the excretory bowel activities in naive (non-constipated) and in drug (loperamide)-induced constipation in mice. Further, the gastrointestinal transit was measured in both naive and in constipated mice. Castor oil (0.5 mL/mouse per os) was used as the reference. TDA significantly and dose-dependently increased all the excretory bowel activities and gastrointestinal transit in both naive and constipated mice. TDA at 200 mg kg(-1) body weight was found to be the most active, causing diarrhoea in mice. Thus, T. dioica root demonstrated stimulant laxative activity in Swiss mice, validating its traditional usage in India.
authors.affiliation: Bengal School of Technology (A College of Pharmacy), Delhi Road, Sugandha, Hooghly 712102, West Bengal, India. sakkwai@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sanjib
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Pallab Kanti
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Haldar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054368:Laxatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D029778:Trichosanthes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D054368:Laxatives; D010936:Plant Extracts