title: Role of laxative and antioxidant properties of Malva sylvestris leaves in constipation treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mallaw (Malva sylvestris L.) is a medicinal plant who is traditionally being used as an antiulcer, laxative and anti-hemorrhoid, besides of its culinary use as a food in Tunisian cuisine. The present study was carried out to evaluate the protective effect of Malva sylvestris aqueous extract (MSAE) on constipation- induced by loperamide in male Wistar rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into six groups of six animals each: Control, Loperamide (LOP), LOP+ yohimbine (2mg/kg b.w, i.p.) and LOP+ various doses of MSAE (100, 200 and 400mg/kg b.w, p.o.). The laxative activity was determined based on the weight, frequency and water content of the feces matter. The effects of MSAE were also evaluated on normal gastric emptying and gastro-intestinal transit as well as loperamide-induced serum metabolic parameters changes and colon oxidative stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MSAE (100, 200 and 400mg/kg; b.w, p.o.), significantly reduced loperamide-induced constipation in a dose-dependent manner. Our extract improves also the gastrointestinal motility, mitigates colon lipid peroxidation and H2O2colon overload, preserve normal antioxidant enzymes activities and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels, as well as provides stability of lipid profile, hepatic (AST and ALT) and renal (urea and creatinine) levels changed by loperamide intoxication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggests in the present work that MSAE had a potent effect against Loperamide- induced constipation through in part to an increase of gastrointestinal motility, astimulation of water intestinal secretion as well as its antioxidant properties.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources - Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P. 382, 9000 Béja, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia. Electronic address: jabri.amino@gmail.com.
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, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P. 382, 9000 Béja, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Dalanda
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wannes
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources - Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P. 382, 9000 Béja, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Najla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hajji
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakly
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources - Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P. 382, 9000 Béja, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lamjed
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marzouki
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie Fonctionnelle et Valorisation des Bio-Ressources - Institut Supérieur de Biotechnologie de Béja, Université de Jendouba, Avenue Habib Bourguiba, B.P. 382, 9000 Béja, Tunisia; Laboratoire de Physiologie Intégrée, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, 7021 Zarzouna, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sebai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003248:Constipation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005243:Feces; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects; D054368:Laxatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008139:Loperamide; D008297:Male; D028501:Malva / Q000737:chemistry*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D054368:Laxatives; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008139:Loperamide
keywords: Constipation; Gastrointestinal motility; Lipid peroxidation; Loperamide; MSAE