Neelam Balekar, Dinesh Kumar Jain, Pankaj Dixit, and Veena Nair

pp. 317 - 322

Abstract

The present study was performed to substantiate the traditional claim of the antidiarrheal activity of stem bark extract
of Albizzia lebbeck Linn. in rats. The effects of ethanolic extract of the stem bark of A. lebbeck on castor oil-induced diarrhea,
castor oil magnesium sulphate-induced enteropooling, and gastrointestinal motility test using charcoal meal method were
examined. The extract was initially assayed for its effects in castor oil-induced diarrhea at different doses (250, 500, and 1000
mg/kg, p.o.) in which significant activity (p<0.05) was observed at a dose level of 500 mg/kg. Hence, this dose level was then
used in other models. The extract was found to inhibit peristaltic movements in charcoal meal test, and intestinal fluid secretions in castor oil as well as magnesium sulphate induced enteropooling, confirming its antidiarrheal activity, which might be
due to its high flavonoid content. The results provide evidence that the ethanolic extract of A. lebbeck stem bark possesses
antidiarrheal activity