In vivo antidiarrheal study of ethanolic extracts of Mikania cordata and Litsea monopetala leaves

Abstract

<p class="Abstract">In this study the antidiarrheal activity of ethanolic extracts of the leaves of <em>Mikania cordata</em> and <em>Litsea monopetala</em> was evaluated. Diarrhea was induced in mice by oral administration of castor oil (0.5 mL) 30 min after the administration of the extracts. During a 4 hour study the number of diarrheal feces and percentage inhibition of the extracts (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) was determined. Loperamide (3 mg/kg body weight) served as standard and belonged to the positive control group. The extracts exhibited potent antidiarrheal activity as well as achieved statistically significant p value (p&lt;0.01 and p&lt;0.05) compared to control group. Among the extracts the highest percentage inhibition of defecation (60%) was recorded for leaf extract (400 mg/kg body weight) of <em>L. monopetala</em>. So, the study corroborates the significant antidiarrheal activity of <em>M. cordata</em> and <em>L. monopetala</em> leaf extracts and raises the demand of further sophisticated investigation.</p><p> </p>