Antidiarrhoeal activity of the ethanol extract of Paederia foetida Linn. (Rubiaceae)

Paederia foetida L. is used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery in Asia, but has not been investigated for its antidiarrhoeal properties. Antidiarrhoeal activity of 90% ethanol extract of Paederia foetida was investigated in this study using castor oil and magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea models in mice. The extract significantly increased the latent period of diarrhoea in both the models. In the castor oil study, the purging index (PI) value lowered in I It of the study at (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) doses. The effect continued up to 6-h period only at 500 mg/kg dose. The plant notably reduced the purging index value in a dose-dependent manner in magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea. Paederia foetida, in general, reduced the gastrointestinal motility with barium sulphate milk both in 15- and 30-min time intervals. The extract significantly decreased the cisplatin-induced gastrointestinal motility at all doses at both time intervals. The extract also enhanced the morphine-induced reduction of motility at 500 mg/kg dose level at both time intervals. The results suggest that Paederia foetida showed antidiarrhoeal activity by inhibiting intestinal motility and justify its use in traditional medicine. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.