Antidiarrhoeal effect of belgiri [aegle marmelos] in Unani medicine

ABSTRACT

Diarrhoea is the most important disease of India as well as the world. It is responsible for the death of one million children under the age of 5 years particularly in India every year. Diarrhoea is serious and acute infection of gastrointestinal tract [GIT] caused by bacterial infection or a gastrointestinal disease such as ulcerative colitis.In allopathysystem, potent remedy against diarrhoea is well practiced but there is a great risk of side effects which cannot be overlooked. Several synthetic anti-microbial drugs for the allergic patients have been proved to be the killer drugs. Besides, synthetic drugs have been much costly and are beyond the reach of poor people.From days immemorial plant materials have been used for the treatment of several ailments including malignant diseases with little side effects.Belgiri [unripe fruit of Aegle marmelos], a botanical source drug is used as herbal drug since many centuries. This drug is recommended in the treatment of diarrhoea and various other GIT disorders.In our present study, Belgiri [Aegle marmelos]unripe fruit was evaluated for the gastrointestinal motility, antidiarrhoeal, and anti-microbial activities under the system of Unani Medicine.The Belgiri [unripe fruit] is dried and crushed. The crushed dried fruit was extracted with Chloroform Extraction of Belgiri [CEB], Methanol Extraction of Belgiri [MEB], and Aqueous Extract of Belgiri [AEB] methods in Soxhlet apparatus and processed properly. The drugs were tested in rats at different doses for certain duration.The tested drug isolated through AEB is found to be effective for the inhibition of gastrointestinal motility and reduced diarrhoea in rats. These properties of drugs may explain the rationale for the extensive andeffective use of the drug as an antidiarrhoeal agent in Unani Medicine system