Volume 14, Issue 33, January - June, 2020

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the methanol leaf extract and fractions of Glyphaea brevis (Spreng) Monach (Malvaceae) used in the treatment of diarrhea in Nigeria

Martha N Ofokansi^1♦, Pleasant A Ihuoma¹, Matthias O Agbo², Ogechukwu N Isiogugu¹, Ikechukwu E Peter¹, Philip E Ugwuoke¹, Peter A Akah¹

¹Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nigeria, 410001, Nsukka
²Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, University of Nigeria, 410001, Nsukka

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nigeria, 410001, Nsukka Email: martha.ofokansi@unn.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

Traditional healers and many local residents in Nigeria use a wide range of medicinal plants in the treatment of diarrhea. Glyphaea brevis is one of such plants claimed to have antidiarrheal property. This study investigated the antidiarrheal effects of crude methanol extract (CE) of Glyphaea brevis and its fractions [n-hexane (HF), ethyl acetate (EF), dichloromethane (DCMF), and methanol fractions(MF)] using castor oil-induced diarrhea and gastrointestinal(GI) motility models. The antimicrobial activity on organisms capable of causing infective diarrhea was also investigated. The extract and the fractions were also subjected to phytochemical analysis and acute toxicity test. Our results show that the groups that received DCMF (250mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) and CE (500mg/kg) elicited significant (p<0.01, p<0.001) reduction in the number of wet stool in a dose–dependent manner with DCMF (500mg/kg) offering the highest (94.44%) protection from castor oil-induced diarrhea. In the GI motility test, MF (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly (p<0.01) inhibited the transit of charcoal meal caused by propulsive movement of gastro-intestinal tract offering 75.72% and 80.12% inhibition respectively while the other fractions produced non-significant inhibition. The extract and fractions were devoid of any antimicrobial activity on the organisms tested. The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, steroids, and terpenoids. The acute toxicity (LD50) was above 5g/kg. This study therefore, validates the use of this plant by Nigerian traditional healers and local residents in the treatment of diarrhea.

Keywords: Antidiarrhea, Antimicrobial, Gastrointestinal motility, Charcoal meal, Castor oil-induced diarrhea, Glyphaea brevis

Drug Discovery, 2020, 14(33), 16-24

PDF