Evaluation of Anti-Diarrheal and Central Nervous System Depressant Effect of Flacourtia indica in Swiss Albino Mice

Flacourtia indica (FI) has been used in traditional system of medicines to treat several diseases like snakebite, cancer, diabetes and hepatic disorders. This study evaluated the anti-diarrheal and central nervous system (CNS) effect of ethanolic extract of FI in mice. Anti-diarrheal activity was evaluated using castor oil and MgSO4 induced diarrhea tests in mice. GI motility was estimated using BaSO4 milk. CNS effect was investigated using hole board, hole cross and elevated plus maze test. Extract was used at doses of 500 mg and 1000 mg/kg body weight. Loperamide (10 mg/kg p.o) and diazepam (4 mg/kg) were used as standard drug. The FI extract showed statistically significant anti-diarrheal effect in the total number of feces and episodes of diarrheal feces. Treatment with FI at both doses reduced diarrhea very highly significantly (p<0.001) in castor oil and highly significantly (p<0.01) in MgSO4 induced diarrhea test. FI at 500 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg doses caused a reduction in the diarrheal stools by 70% and 77.50% in castor oil induced diarrhea. In MgSO4 induced diarrhea, the plant extract lowered diarrhea by 39.54% (p<0.05) and 48.84% (p<0.01) respectively. FI reduced GI motility very highly significantly (p<0.001) at both the doses after 30 minutes of BaSO4 administration. Standard drug loperamide (10 mg/kg) had very highly significant (p<0.001) antidiarrheal effect. The extract resulted significant CNS depressant effect (p<0.001) in hole board, hole cross and elevated plus maze test. The overall results depicted that the FI extract had significant antidiarrheal and CNS depressant properties.