EVALUATION OF ANTIDIARRHEAL EFFECT OF Artocarpus altilis (PARK.) LEAVES IN MICE

Abstract

The current study was conducted to evaluate the anti-diarrheal activity of ethanol extract of Artocarpus altilis (Park.) leaf in mice. The antidiarrheal activity of ethanol extract of A. altilis leaf was performed using castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal transit methods. The extract was administered orally at doses of 100, 200, 400 mg/kg body weight (BW) one hour after induced by castor oil. Then, the mice were observed every 30 minutes for 6 hours to determine the onset of diarrhea, frequency of diarrhea, consistency, weight of stool and duration of diarrhea. Meanwhile, the distance travel of china ink was measured to determine gastrointestinal motility. Loperamide (0.52 mg/kg BW) was used as a positive control. The ethanol extract of A. altilis leaf reduced onset of diarrhea, frequency of diarrhea, consistency, weight of stool and duration of diarrhea when compared to negative control group (P>0.05). The extract showed anti-diarrheal activity at a dose dependent manner. The extract at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg BW showed higher activity in reducing the onset of diarrhea than loperamide as positive control (P<0.05). However, anti-diarrheal activity evaluation using intestinal transit method showed that all doses of A. altilis extract reduced the gastrointestinal motility but only at the dose of 400 mg/kg BW revealed comparable effect with loperamide. The ethanol extract of A. altilis leaf possesses anti-diarrheal activity which supports its use in folk medicine.