ANTIDIARRHEAL ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF SWERTIA CHIRATA IN RATS

Md. Forhad Ahmad*

ABSTRACT

The effect of the aqueous extract of Swertia Chirata hum against diarrhea at 25,50 and 100 mg/kg body weight was evaluated by using gastrointestinal transit, diarrhea and enteropooling induced by castor oil models in female rats. The extract was positive for Ophelic acid, glycosides, amarogentin, chiratin, alkaloids, gentianine and gentiocrucine. The 25 mg/kg of the extract effectively (P<0.05) prolonged the onset time of diarrhea, decreased the fecal parameters (number, water content, fresh weight, total number of wet faces) with no episodes in the animals treated with 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg. The activity of small intestine Na+-k+ ATPase increased (P<0.05) while the nitric oxide, volume and mass of intestinal fluid as well as distance travelled by the charcoal meal decreased. The changing patterns were similar to reference drugs. Overall, the antidiarrheal activity of the aqueous leaf extracts of Swertia chirata hum may be due to the chemical constituents present in the extract.

Keywords: chirata, enteropooling, feces.