title: Evaluation of the anti-diarrheal activity of the hydromethanolic root extract of Rhus tripartita (Ucria) (Anacardiacae).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhus tripartita (Anacardiacae) is a plant which is traditionally used for the treatment of ulcer and diarrhea in Tunisia. However, the scientific basis for this usage has not been well established. The core aim of the present study is to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of Rhus tripartita root methanolic extract (RRE).
  
  
  METHODS
  The antidiarrheal activity of RRE oral doses (50, 100, 200 and 300mg/kg) was evaluated using the castor oil-induced diarrhea, the intestinal fluid emptying method and the normal intestinal transit test. The antibacterial activity was tested against four pathogenic bacteria using two methods. The RRE was also phytochemical studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Diarrhea experiments showed a protective effect of the RRE which produced a significant (p<0.05) and dose-dependent reduction of all the diarrhea parameters. It delayed the onset of diarrhea, produced a significant decrease in the frequency of defecation and the diarrhea score severity and decreased the volume of intestinal fluid induced by castor oil as well as the propulsion intestinal transit. The effect of the extract at the highest dose (300mg/kg) was similar to that of loperamide, the standard anti-diarrheal drug (10mg/kg). The anti-bacterial activity test showed that RRE exhibited a great inhibition activity against four pathogenic bacteria strains (Esherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella argenosa, Staphylococcus aureus). Oral administration of the extract up to 3g/kg did not produce any acute toxicity in rats. The preliminary phytochemical screening of the RRE revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, and polyphenols.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results showed that RRE at 300mg/kg possesses the highest anti-diarrheal activity possibly mediated by the inhibitory effects on gastrointestinal propulsion and intestinal fluid accumulation.
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia; Laboratory of Epidemiology and Microbiology Veterinary Bacteriology Groups and Biotechnology Development, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, El Manar University, El Manar, BP 74, 13 Pasteur Place, Belvedere, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia; Laboratory of Cellular, Nutritional and Toxicological Biochemistry, Institute of Life Sciences (ISV) UCLouvain, Louvain-La-Neuve B1348, Belgium. Electronic address: zaineb.ben.barka@gmail.com.
authors: Zaineb
authors: Z
authors: Ben Barka
authors: Laboratory of Epidemiology and Microbiology Veterinary Bacteriology Groups and Biotechnology Development, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, El Manar University, El Manar, BP 74, 13 Pasteur Place, Belvedere, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Chedia
authors: C
authors: Aouadhi
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Mounira
authors: M
authors: Tlili
authors: Research Unit of Macromolecular Biochemistry and Genetic, Faculty of Sciences of Gafsa, 2112 Gafsa, Tunisia.
authors: Hichem
authors: H
authors: Alimi
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Hanene
authors: H
authors: Ben Miled
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Khémais
authors: K
authors: Ben Rhouma
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Mohsen
authors: M
authors: Sakly
authors: Laboratory of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants (LPAM), BP 9001, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia.
authors: Riadh
authors: R
authors: Ksouri
authors: Laboratory of Cellular, Nutritional and Toxicological Biochemistry, Institute of Life Sciences (ISV) UCLouvain, Louvain-La-Neuve B1348, Belgium.
authors: Yves Jacques
authors: YJ
authors: Schneider
authors: Laboratory of Epidemiology and Microbiology Veterinary Bacteriology Groups and Biotechnology Development, Pasteur Institute of Tunis, El Manar University, El Manar, BP 74, 13 Pasteur Place, Belvedere, 1002 Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Abderrazek
authors: A
authors: Maaroufi
authors: Laboratory of Integrated Physiology, Faculty of Science of Bizerte, University of Carthage Tunisia, 7021 Jarzouna, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors: Olfa
authors: O
authors: Tebourbi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000187:drug effects; D002368:Castor Oil; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008139:Loperamide / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000032:analysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029045:Rhus / Q000737:chemistry*; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D008139:Loperamide; D002368:Castor Oil; D000432:Methanol
keywords: Castor oil; Diarrhea; Methanolic extract; Rat; Rhus tripartita; Root