title: Croton grewioides Baill. (Euphorbiaceae) Shows Antidiarrheal Activity in Mice.
abstract: Based on chemotaxonomy, we decided to investigate the possible antidiarrheal activity in mice of a crude ethanolic extract obtained from aerial parts of Croton grewioides (CG-EtOH). We tested for any possible toxicity in rat erythrocytes and acute toxicity in mice. Antidiarrheal activity was assessed by determining the effect of CG-EtOH on defecation frequency, liquid stool, intestinal motility and intestinal fluid accumulation. CG-EtOH showed no in vitro cytotoxicity and was not orally lethal. In contrast, the extract given intraperitoneally (at 2000 mg/kg) was lethal, but only in females. CG-EtOH produced a significant and equipotent antidiarrheal activity, both in defecation frequency (ED50 = 106.0 ± 8.1 mg/kg) and liquid stools (ED50 = 105.0 ± 9.2 mg/kg). However, CG-EtOH (125 mg/kg) decreased intestinal motility by only 22.7% ± 4.4%. Moreover, extract markedly inhibited the castor oil-induced intestinal contents (ED50 = 34.6 ± 5.4 mg/kg). We thus conclude that CG-EtOH is not orally lethal and contains active principles with antidiarrheal activity, and this effect seems to involve mostly changes in intestinal secretion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CG-EtOH showed no in vitro cytotoxicity and was not orally lethal. In contrast, the extract given intraperitoneally (at 2000 mg/kg) was lethal, but only in females.CG-EtOH probably contains active metabolites with antidiarrheal activity.CG-EtOH reduced the frequency and number of liquid stools.Metabolites presents in the CG-EtOH act mainly by reducing intestinal fluid and, to a lesser extent, reducing intestinal motility. Abbreviations Used: CG-EtOH: crude ethanolic extract obtained from the aerial parts of C. grewioides; WHO: World Health Organization; ED50: dose of a drug that produces 50% of its maximum effect; Emax: maximum effect.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Natural Products and Synthetic Bioactive, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anne Dayse Soares
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57020-720, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karoline
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Melo E Silva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57020-720, AL, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Clementino
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research on Drugs and Medicines, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vicente Carlos de Oliveira
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hilzeth de Luna F
authors.initials: Hde L
authors.lastname: Pessôa
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Natural Products and Synthetic Bioactive, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josean Fechine
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Natural Products and Synthetic Bioactive, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Sobral
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Natural Products and Synthetic Bioactive, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil; Department of Physiology and Pathology, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-900, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana de Andrade
authors.initials: Fde A
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
keywords: Croton grewioides; Diarrheal; Intestinal fluid; Motility; Toxicity