PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES OF ANTI-DIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF VERNONIA CINEREA IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS

A. Zechariah Jebakumar
Dept. of Research and Scientific studies, Prince Sultan Military college of Health Sciences, Dhahran-31932, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hassan S. Nondo
Dept. of Research and Scientific studies, Prince Sultan Military college of Health Sciences, Dhahran-31932, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Siju K. George
Dept. of Research and Scientific studies, Prince Sultan Military college of Health Sciences, Dhahran-31932, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
G.Manoj
Dept of Pharmacology, C.L. Baid Metha College of Pharmacy, Thoraipakkam, Chennai - 600096, India

Antidiarrhoeal activity ,Randia uliginosa ,Traditional medicine ,Castor oil induced diarrhoea ,Enteropooling method ,

Vernonia cinerea (Asteraceae) have many therapeutic uses in the practice of traditional medicine. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate scientifically the anti-diarrhoeal effects of aqueous extract of whole plant of Vernonia cinerea Linn (AEVC) was studied against castor oil-induced-diarrhoea model in rats. Antidiarrhoeal activity of aqueous extract of Vernonia cinerea was investigated in this study using castor oil-induced-diarrhoea, enteropooling and Small intestinal transit models in rats. The weight and volume of intestinal content induced by castor oil were studied by enteropooling method. Standard drug diphenoxylate (5 ml/kg, p.o) was significant reductions in fecal output and frequency of droppings whereas AEVC at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg p.o significantly (P<0.001) reduced the castor-oil induced frequency and consistency of diarrhoea and enteropooling. The gastrointestinal transit rate was expressed as the percentage of the longest distance travelled by the charcoal divided by the total length of the small intestine. AEVC at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited (P<0.001) the castor oil induced charcoal meal transit. The AEVC showed marked reduction in the number of diarrhoea stools and the reduction in the weight and volume of the intestinal contents, as well as a modest reduction in intestinal transit. The results obtained establish the efficacy and substantiate the folklore claim as an anti- diarrheal agent. Further studies are needed to completely understand the mechanism of anti-diarrhoeal action of Vernonia cinerea.

3 , 1 , 2013