Antidiarrhoeal activity of ethanol extract of the bark of Dalbergia lanceolaria

The bark of Dalbergia Ianceolaria was undertaken for evaluation of antidiarrhoeal activity in albino mice based on ethnobotanical lead. This bark was collected from Khanapur area of Western Ghats near Pune, Maharashtra, India. The successive solvent extraction of bark was carried out after drying, using petroleum ether (60-80 degrees C) and ethanol in soxhlet apparatus. The ethanol extract showed activity against castor oil, magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea in albino mice. The extract was also studied for castor oil induced intraluminal fluid accumulation as well as charcoal transit in normal and barium chloride treated animals. The extract reduced significantly intraluminal fluid accumulation and intestinal motility. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.