Antidiarrheal Activity of Four Different Species of Litsea Available in Bangladesh

Abstract

The objective of the present study includes the evaluation of the antidiarrheal properties of the methanol extracts of Litsea deccanensis Gamble (MELD) bark, Litsealancifolia (Roxb.) Hook. f. MELL),Litseaglutinosa Gamble (MELG) and Litsea monopetala Roxb. (MELM) leavesin Swiss albino mice. The antidiarrheal activity was evaluated by measuring percentage inhibition of diarrheal feces, total fecal output, gastrointestinal motility and by using peristaltic indices. Castor oil was used to induce diarrhea in the experimental animal. The experiments were carried out by using three different doses (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body weight) of these four plant extracts. The number of wet feces and total weight of the feces were significantly (p < 0.05) and dose-dependently reduced by all the plant extracts and this effect was comparable with standard drug. MELD, MELL, MELG and MELM extracts at dose of 400 mg/kg body weight demonstrated diarrheal inhibition by 43.55%, 45.16%, 32.26% and 41.94%, respectively while it was 98.39% for the standard loperamide. Percentage (%) of fecal output for MELD, MELL, MELG and MELM extracts at the dose of 400 mg/kg were 40.14%, 62.27%, 64.06%, 46.26%, respectively.The gastrointestinal motility induced by castor oil was also reduced noticeably (p < 0.05) by all the plant extracts with the increasing doses. The percentage inhibition of gastrointestinal motility at the dose of 400 mg/kg were 26.26%, 33.22%, 32.36% and 22.52% for the MELD, MELL, MELG and MELM extracts respectively, while it was 27.56% for loperamide. In most cases, all the plant extracts can reduce the peristaltic indices which were comparable to control. The obtained results from this study revealed that the methanol extracts of four different species of Litsea found in Bangladesh may have antidiarrheal potential. It also provides the basis for the traditional use of these plants to treat diarrhea.

Phytochemical Studies, GC-MS Analysis and In vivo Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory and Antidiarrheal Activity of Chaerophyllum villosum Wall. ex Dc. and Achillia millefolium L

“…A widely used method for assessing the antidiarrheal activity of plant extracts is castor oilinduced diarrheal model. In mice the castor oil changes the permeability of electrolytes through the intestinal mucosa and thus induces diarrhea [42]. Castor oil contain, ricinoleic acid, which increases production of prostaglandins and causes irritation and inflammation of intestinal mucosa and results in increased gastrointestinal motility and secretion [43].…”

Two rare flavonoid glycosides from Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob.: experimental and computational approaches endorse antidiabetic potentiality

“…The both isolated compounds 1 and 2 belonged to toxicity class V having LD 50 = 5000 mg/kg revealing the certain safety profile of the compounds. Furthermore, our prior research found that the crude methanolic leaf extract of this plant species exhibited a wider safety range, as indicated by an LD 50 value exceeding 2000 mg/kg in an acute oral toxicity assessment [ 64 ].…”

“…Additionally, the study relied solely on in silico methods to predict the pharmacological effects of the isolated compounds without any experimental validation. Although the leaf extract of the plant species was studied by employing an acute toxicity test in our previous study [ 64 ] to determine its LD 50 value, sub-acute, sub-chronic, and chronic toxicity assessments should be conducted in future studies to confirm the long-term safety profile after repeated intake of low doses of the plant species.…”

The Analgesic Potential of Litsea Species: A Systematic Review

“…The plant is widely distributed, stretching from India to China, and has also been reported as a dominant timber-producing species in the heath forests of South East Asian regions including Sarawak, Sumatra and Singapore [148,150,151]. Locally, it is commonly known as narrowleaved 'medang' in Singapore or 'judijaylla' by the Chakma tribes in Bangladesh [148,152]. It has elliptic acute or acuminate leaves that are pinkish red when young, as well as green ellipsoid apiculately-shaped fruits with white dots that turn dark purplish black upon ripening [149,151].…”

“…It has elliptic acute or acuminate leaves that are pinkish red when young, as well as green ellipsoid apiculately-shaped fruits with white dots that turn dark purplish black upon ripening [149,151]. In addition to being a suitable fuel wood species [153], the roots of L. lancifolia have also been traditionally used to treat diarrhea in Bangladesh [152]. On the other hand, the leaves of Litsea lancifolia var.…”