EVALUATION OF THE ANTIDIARRHOEAL EFFECT OF AQUEOUS FRUIT EXTRACT OF Phoenix dactylifera L. ON THE HISTOLOGY OF THE SMALL INTESTINE OF WISTAR RAT
EVALUATION OF THE ANTIDIARRHOEAL EFFECT OF AQUEOUS FRUIT EXTRACT OF Phoenix dactylifera L. ON THE HISTOLOGY OF THE SMALL INTESTINE OF WISTAR RAT
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Date
2012-11
Authors
AGBON, ABEL NOSEREME
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Abstract
In this study, evaluation of the antidiarrhoeal effect of aqueous fruit extract of Phoenix
dactylifera L. on the histology of the small intestine of Wistar rat, a preliminary
phytochemical screening of the aqueous fruit extract of Phoenix dactylifera (AEPD)
revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and carbohydrates. Oral
acute toxicity study (LD50) of the extract was conducted and found to be greater than
5000mg/ kg in Wistar rats. The antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract was evaluated on
castor oil induced diarrhoea, gastrointestinal transit and enteropooling in Wistar rats. In the
castor oil induced diarrhoeal study, the following experiments were conducted –
determination of standard drug (loperamide) antidiarrhoeal dose between the doses of
3mg/kg and 5mg/kg loperamide in Wistar rats; antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract in
prophylactic and therapeutic administrations in Wistar rats; antidiarrhoeal activity of the
combined administration of extract and loperamide in prophylactic and therapeutic
administrations in Wistar rats. In the extract prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, the
Wistar rats were divided into four (5) groups (n= 5), group 1 served as the control; group 2
was administered loperamide (5mg/kg) as standard drug; groups 3 and 4 administered
AEPD (1000mg/kg and 2000mg/kg respectively). In the combined administration
prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, the Wistar rats were divided into four (4) groups
(n= 5), group 1 served as the control; group 2 was administered loperamide (5mg/kg);
groups 3 and 4 were administered 1000mg/kg AEPD + 5mg/kg loperamide and 2000mg/kg
AEPD + 5mg/kg loperamide respectively. In the gastrointestinal transit and enteropooling
studies, the Wistar rats were divided into four (4) groups (n= 5), group 1 served as control,
groups 2 and 3 served as extract low and high dose; administered AEPD (1000mg/kg and
2000mg/kg respectively) and group 4 served as the standard drug group administered
loperamide (5mg/kg). The extract and the combined treatment (AEPD + standard drug)
showed inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhoea in both prophylactically and
therapeutically treated animals. A significant reduction (p<0.05) in the gastrointestinal
motility in charcoal meal test and decreased volume of intestinal fluid accumulation
(enteropooling) induced by castor oil compared to the control was observed. The
histoarchitecture of the jejunal mucosae of the Wistar rats were also preserved as compared
to the control that manifested with severe histoarchitectural distortion. Inhibition of the
severity of diarrhoea, gastrointestinal propulsion and fluid secretion by the extract and the
combined treatment of extract + standard drug suggest that the extract might exert its
antidiarrhoeal activity by antisecretory mechanism ascribed to the phytochemicals present
in the extract
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTERS OF SCIENCE (M.Sc)
DEGREE IN HUMAN ANATOMY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN ANATOMY
FACULTY OF MEDICINE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA
NOVEMBER, 2012.
Keywords
EVALUATION,, ANTIDIARRHOEAL,, AQUEOUS FRUIT EXTRACT,, Phoenix dactylifera,, HISTOLOGY, INTESTINE OF WISTAR RAT