The Laxative and Prokinetic Effects of Rosa damascena Mill in Rats

Objective(s) This study was aimed to assess the possible laxative and prokinetic effects of the boiled extract of Rosa damascena. Materials and Methods Rats in two groups (n= 7) of test and control were gavaged either with the extract or placebo, respectively. The number, weight and water percentage of feces were studied up to 24 hr. In order to assess the possible osmotic laxative effects of the drug, the jejunum in anesthetized rats (n= 7) was randomly divided into 4 cm segments and 0.5 ml of the extract, lactulose or saline was injected in each segment. The volumes of the contents in each segment were measured after 1 hr. In order to assess the intestinal transit time, fasting rats were gavaged with either the extract or placebo. Thirty minutes following the last medication, all rats were gavaged with phenol red and methyl cellulose (1.5 ml). The test and the control rats, in groups of 4, were sacrificed at 30 min, 1, 2 and 4 hr, and the amounts of the phenol red in various parts of the gastrointestinal tract were measured. Results Boiled extract of R. damascena significantly increased feces number and its percentage of water, but had no effects on the transit time of intestinal ingesta. The volume of the contents in jejunum segments had significantly increased with the extract or lactulose compared to placebo. Conclusion Boiled extract of R. damascena apparently exerts its laxative effects, at least in part, via osmotic infiltration of fluids into the intestine.