title: Anti-diarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of Ocimum kilimandscharicum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ocimum kilimandscharicum Baker ex Güerke, commonly referred to as Kapur Tulsi, is a medicinal herb that belongs to the family of Lamiaceae. It is traditionally popular for its gastroprotective effects, including its use as a digestive and anti-diarrhoeal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to prove the anti-diarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum in animal models.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aqueous extract was tested at three different dose levels (100, 200 and 400mg/kg, p.o. in rats and the corresponding doses in mice) against castor-oil induced diarrhoea model and castor oil induced enteropooling assay in rats; and charcoal meal test/intestinal motility test in mice. The parameters observed were the onset of defecation, cumulative faecal weight and consistency of faeces in the castor oil induced diarrhoea model; the weight of intestinal content in castor oil induced enteropooling assay; and the distance travelled by charcoal in the intestinal motility test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant delay in the onset of defecation (p<0.05), reduction in the cumulative faecal weight (p<0.001), along with a change in the faecal consistency from watery to solid form was observed at the dose of 200mg/kg in the castor oil-induced diarrhoea model. Similarly, the extract at the doses of 100mg/kg (p<0.01) and 200mg/kg (p<0.001) significantly decreased the weight of intestinal content in castor oil induced enteropooling assay. In the charcoal meal test the extract at the dose of 280mg/kg (corresponding to 200mg/kg in rats) significantly (p<0.01) reduced the distance travelled by charcoal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aqueous extract of leaves of Ocimum kilimandscharicum showed anti-diarrhoeal activity, which may be due to its anti-motility and anti-secretory effects, which thus proved the traditional claims.
authors.affiliation: Rayat Institute of Pharmacy, Rayat and Bahra Campus, Railmajra, Nawanshahar, Near Ropar, Punjab-144 533, India. rajatsarin20@gmail.com
authors.forename: Rajat V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Sarin
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narwal
authors.forename: Pallavi A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bafna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002368:Castor Oil; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D051379:Mice; D031339:Ocimum; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000930:Antidiarrheals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002368:Castor Oil