Abstract
Milicia excelsa (Moraceae) plant is used as an antidiarrheal agent in ethnomedicine but there is
no scientific rationale for its claim. Hence, this study examined the acute toxicity
(LD50) and anti-diarrheal effect of methanol root bark extract of Milicia excelsa per oral in rats as well as the probable phytoconstituents responsible for this effect.
The LD50 was>5000 mg/kg, suggesting its safety. The extract significantly (p<0.05) reduced
the total number of feces and wet feces in castor oil-induced diarrhea with percentage
inhibitions of 41.36 and 50.88% at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively; it also significantly
(p<0.05) reduced the distance travelled by charcoal in a dose dependent manner with
percentage inhibitions of 33.85, 43.07 and 50.76% at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively
in gastrointestinal motility test indicating anti-diarrheal potentials. The extract
significantly (p<0.05) reduced the intestinal fluid accumulation with percentage inhibitions
of 33.28 and 45.61% at 200 and 400 mg/kg respectively, suggesting antisecretory effect.
Furthermore, the extract significantly (p<0.05) inhibited the intestinal propulsion
of the charcoal meal through the gastrointestinal tract in castor oil-induced gastrointestinal
transit suggesting antimotility effect. Total flavonoids and tannins are the most
abundant phytoconstituents therein. This study therefore concluded that the anti-diarrhea
action of the extract may at least in part be mediated via antisecretory and antimotility
mechanisms, which could be due to the additive, synergy or counter interaction of
the phytoconstituents therein, thus supporting its ethnomedicinal claim.
Key words
Milicia excelsa
- castor oil-induced diarrhea - gastrointestinal motility - toxicity - phytoconstituents