Evaluation of Anti-Diarrhoeal Activity of Ficus Dalhousiae Miq Leaf Methanolic Extract

Abstract

India has a dense forest with plenty of medicinal plants which have been used as folklore medicines by the local people for many years. They used different plant parts of Ficus species to treat diarrhoea. Depending on the traditional use of some plants of Ficus genus as antidiarrhoeal, this plant was selected to evaluate antidiarrhoeal activity in animal models. Wistar albino rats weighing 180 to 200 grams were used in this study. There were five groups in each experimental model with six animals in each group. The antidiarrhoeal activity was evaluated by different experimental models namely castor oil-induced diarrhoea and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea. The methanolic extract of Ficus dalhousiae leaves showed significant antidiarrhoeal activity against castor oil-induced diarrhoea and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea in rats. The methanolic extracts at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly inhibited diarrhoea. There was a significant dose-dependent anti diarrhoeal effect in both the animal models as compared to the standard drug (P<0.01). Based on the results in experimental models, the methanolic extract of Ficus dalhausiae demonstrated significant reductions in faecal output when compared to the standard groups. In conclusion it can be said that tannins and flavonoids present in the plant extracts may be responsible for the antidiarrhoeal activity.