title: Antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of myrtle berries (Myrtus communis L.) seeds extract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was carried out to determine the antidiarrheal effects of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) berries seeds aqueous extract (MBSAE) from Tunisia as well as the involvement of its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties in such protection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult male wistar rats were used and divided into six groups of ten each: control, Castor oil, Castor oil + Loperamide and Castor oil + various doses of MBSAE. Animals were per orally (p.o.) pre-treated with MBSAE for one hour and intoxicated by castor oil acute oral administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results demonstrated that the MBSAE is rich in total and condensed tannins and exhibited a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. In vivo, we found that MBSAE administration induced a significant dose-dependent protection against diarrhoea and intestinal fluid accumulation. Castor oil-induced intestinal hypersecretion was accompanied by an oxidative stress status in the intestine. More importantly, we showed that acute diarrhoea was accompanied by an increase in intestinal mucosa hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ), calcium and free iron levels while MBSAE pre-treatment reversed all castor oil-induced intracellular mediators disturbances.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that MBSAE had a potent protective effects against castor oil-induced acute diarrhoea due in part to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Zarzouna, Tunisia.|Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Béja, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed-Amine
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jabri
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Béja, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Kais
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rtibi
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Zarzouna, Tunisia.|Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Béja, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Said
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'épidémiologie et microbiologie vétérinaire, groupe de bactériologie et développement biotechnologique, Institut Pasteur de Tunis (IPT), Université El-Manar, Tunis-Belvédère, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Chedia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aouadhi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des substances naturelles, Institut National de Recherche et d'Analyse Physico-chimique, Ariana, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hosni
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Zarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Zarzouna, Tunisia.|Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources, Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Béja, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sebai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D031651:Myrtus / Q000737:chemistry*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Myrtus communis; antimicrobial activity; diarrhoea; iron; oxidative stress; rat