EVALUATION OF ANTIDIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF ELYTRARIA ACAULIS EXTRACTS ON MAGNESIUM SULPHATE- AND CASTOR OIL-INDUCED DIARRHOEA IN WISTAR RATS

Elytraria acaulis is traditionally used in the treatment of diarrhoea. E. acaulis extracts were prepared in alcohol, water, hydroalcoholic solution, chloroform and ethyl acetate. Acute toxicity test was performed in albino mice and antidiarrhoeal activity was studied in Wistar rats. Castor oil- and magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea in Wistar rats were treated with E. acaulis extracts, standard antidiarrhoeal drug loperamide and the results were compared to control. Extracts of E. acaulis showed neither mortality nor any toxic effect in albino mice up to the dose of 5 g/kg during the period of 48 hours, which was further extended for 14 days. Water extract of E. acaulis was 60.68% (p 0.01) effective in reducing faeces in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal rats and 62.10% (p 0.01) in magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhoea model. These results indicated that E. acaulis extracts are effective for treatment of diarrhoea.