Antidiarrhoeal Activity of Pterocarpus santalinoides L'Hérit ex DC Leaf Extract

Abstract Diarrhoea is a leading cause of deaths in developing countries, especially in children, and contributes to one in five deaths of children all over the world. The burden and mortality due to diarrhoea diseases have encouraged the development and the patronage of herbal alternatives. In this study we investigated the methylene chloride-methanol leaf extract of Pterocarpus santalinoides (PSE), a plant believed to possess potent antidiarrhoeal properties in folk medical practice. The antidiarrhoeal and anti-enteropooling activity of PSE were investigated in castor oil induced diarrhoea in rats. The effect on gastrointestinal motility was studied by the charcoal meal transit in mice. Smooth muscle activity of the extract was investigated in isolated guinea pig ileum. P. santalinoides extract (100-500 µg/ml) caused a significant and dose-related inhibition of the frequency of diarrhoeic drops in rats (P< 0.05) and prolonged the time for diarrhoea induction. The extract also exhibited significant anti-enteropooling activity (P