title: Anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous extract of the aerial part of Rubia cordifolia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Shaanxi province, China, the aqueous extract of Rubia cordifolia's aerial part (AERCAP) is traditionally used to manage diarrhea. However, there is no scientific evidence to verify the safety and efficacy of its use. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory effects of AERCAP by using a rodent model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anti-diarrheal effects were studied by senna leaf-induced diarrheal and intestinal transit experiments in mice. The anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colonic inflammation in rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that AERCAP delayed the onset of semi-solid feces, reduced the evacuation index (EI) in senna leaf-induced diarrheal in mice, and inhibited the propulsive movement in castor oil-induced intestinal transit but not in the normal intestinal transit test. The results were compared with the standard anti-diarrheal drug loperamide. Additionally, oral treatment with AERCAP significantly decreased the macroscopic damage area, improved the microscopic structure, and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, IL-1β and TNF-α levels in colonic tissue compared with the TNBS control group in rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AERCAP exhibited anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory activities in a rodent model. The study validated the traditional use of the plant in Chinese herbal medicine as a valuable natural remedy for the treatment of diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xue-Peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Kun
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dong-Yan
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China. 1020947167@qq.com.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0874-1201
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D045470:Rubia / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Anti-diarrheal; Anti-inflammatory; Aqueous extract; Rodent model; Rubia cordifolia Aerial part