ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF Manniophyton africanum LEAF EXTRACT IN MICE

The antidiarrhoeic activity of the methanolic leaf extract of Manniophyton africanum (MEMA) has been evaluated out in mice using different models (Castor oil-induced diarrhoea, effects on gastrointestinal motility, and castor oil-induced gastric enteropooling). MEMA (200,400 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) inhibited at 5% significance level, the frequency of defecation and reduced the wetness of faecal droppings in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, markedly inhibited the movement of charcoal meal plug through the gastrointestinal tract, in a dose dependent manner, comparable to diphenoxylate and atropine. It however had no effect in the intra luminal fluid content in the castor oil-induced gastric enteropooling. Diphenoxylate (5 mg/kg) and atropine (3 mg/kg) were used as the reference drugs. MEMA were also found to be possessing marginal (52-66%) free radical scavenging activities in vitro using the DPPH and FRAP models. The remarkable antidiarrhoeal property of MEMA in vivo gives credence to its use in the management of a wide range of diarrhoeal state.