Antidiarrhoeal evaluation of rhizomes of Cryptocoryne spiralis Fisch. ex Wydler: Antimotility and antisecretory effects.

The antidiarrhoeal activity of Cryptocoryne spiralis rhizomes extract (250, 500, 750 mg/kg, po) was evaluated using faecal excretion, castor oil-induced diarrhoea, small intestinal transit, intestinal fluid accumulation, gastric emptying and PGE2 induced enteropooling models in rats. In addition, various biochemical estimations, histopathological studies and antibacterial evaluations on strains responsible for diarrhoea were also performed. The results illustrated a significant reduction in normal faecal output rate after 5th and 7th h of treatment, while castor oil-induced diarrhoea model depicted a protection of 55.44% at same dose level from diarrhoea. The other models except, gastric emptying test demonstrated more pronounced effect at same dose level. A significant inhibition in nitric oxide, increase in carbohydrates, protein, DNA, Na+ and K+ level with minimum degeneration of colonic fibrous tissues and potent antibacterial activity were also observed. The antidiarrhoeal potential of C. spiralis may be as a result of antimotility and antisecretory type effect mediated through nitric oxide pathway.

Antidiarrhoeal effects of methanolic root extract of Hemidesmus indicus (Indian sarsaparilla)--an in vitro and in vivo study.

Methanolic extract of H. indicus root (MHI) was screened for its antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, E. coli and S. flexneri, in vitro and in experimentally induced diarrhoea in albino rats, in vivo. MHI had an anti enterobacteriae effect as evident from agar well diffusion method and decrease in CFU/ml in MHI treated LB broth culture. MHI inhibited the castor oil induced diarrhoea in rats as judged by a decrease in the amount of wet faeces in MHI-pretreated rats at a dose of 500-1500 mg/kg. The results indicated that MHI was more active than standard antidiarrhoeal drug, lomotil. Phytochemical tests revealed the main constituents as tannins, steroids, triterpenoids and carbohydrates. Present findings suggested that MHI might elicit an antidiarrhoeal effect by inhibition of intestinal motility and by its bacteriocidal activity.

molluscicidal efficacy of three products against Biomphalaria alexandrina and Lymnaea natalensis

The toxicity of three local formulated products [Sol EC [mineral oil], Sisi-6 [surfactant] and castor bean oil EC [plant oil]] was tested against Biomphalaria alexandrina and Lymnaea natalensis in two water sources. The results indicated that in dechlorinated water after 24-hour exposure, castor bean oil was the most toxic product against the snails, followed by Sisi-6 and Sol [EC] with LC90 of 250 ppm and 8 ppm against B. alexandrina and L. natalensis, respectively. When Nile water was used after 6-hour exposure, a high concentration of castor bean oil [4 LC90] did not cause 100% mortality of the snails; it was achieved by 2 LC90 of Sisi-6 with Nile water. On the other hand, castor bean oil was more fatal to eggs of the snails [LC90 = 660 ppm] than the other two products. In general, L. natalensis was more susceptible to the experimental products than B. alexandrina