JUSTICIA CARNEA LEAF EXTRACT IMPROVES INTESTINAL TRANSIT IN HIGH-FAT DIET INDUCED DELAYED GUT MOTILITY IN WISTAR RATS

Joy Eifuobhokhan, Onyebuchi Obia* and Christian Charles

ABSTRACT

The composition of a diet largely affects the motility and secretory activities of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Justicia carnea (JC) leaf extract on percentage intestinal transit in high-fat diet fed wistar rats. The study involved a total of twenty-five wistar rats separated into five groups of five rats each. Group 1 served as control while groups 2 to 5 were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) throughout the period of the experiment. Group 2 remained untreated, Groups 3, 4 and 5 received respectively 200mg/kg, 500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg of JC extract. The animals were fed with the extract for twenty-eight days and thereafter intestinal transit was measured using standard protocols. Results showed that HFD caused significant reduction in intestinal transit. However, all the concentrations of JC significantly improved intestinal motility in a dose-dependent fashion such that the lowest dose had better outcome than the higher doses (i.e. 200mg/kg>500mg/kg>1000mg/kg). Conclusively, the present study suggests that moderate consumption of JC could improve intestinal transit and thus ameliorate the delayed intestinal motility associated with HFD. Our findings provide a reference for the use of Justicia carnea in management of constipation-associated medical disorders.

Keywords: Justicia carnea, high-fat diet, intestinal transit delayed gut motility.