Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries
SCOPUS
  • Year: 2011
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 1

Antidiarrhoeal effects of ethanolic leaf extract of Erythrina indica L. in experimental animals

  • Author:
  • J. Sonia1, P.G. Latha2,, P. Gowsalya1, G.I. Anuja2, S.R. Suja2, V.J. Shine2, S. Shymal2, P. Shikha2, N.M. Krishnakumar2, G. Sreejith2, S. Sini2, S. Raja Sekharan2
  • Total Page Count: 3
  • Page Number: 81 to 83

1Department of Biochemistry, Navarasam Arts and Science College for Women, Erode 638101, Tamil Nadu, India

2Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute, Palode, Thiruvananthapuram 695562, Kerala, India

*Corresponding author: P.G. Latha E-mail: plathagopalakrishnan@gmail.com

Abstract

The ethanolic extract of the leaves of Erythrina indica significantly modified normal defecation frequency as well as inhibited castor oil-induced diarrhoea in Wistar rats. In addition, the extract showed a significant reduction in gastrointestinal motility in charcoal meal test. Phytochemical tests revealed that the main constituents were alkaloids. These findings suggested that the ethanolic extract of leaves of Erythrina indica elicits potent antidiarrhoeal effects and thus substantiated its traditional claim as an antidiarrhoeal agent.

Keywords

Erythrina indica, antidiarrhoeal effects, prostaglandin (PGE)-induced diarrhoea, alkaloids