Conclusions
Results suggest the presence of antidiarrheal activity and spasmolytic effects of STR, possibly mediated through Ca2+ channel blocking activity, providing the pharmacological basis for its traditional uses in gastrointestinal disorders.
Methods
Study was conducted from February to December 2018. In vivo, antidiarrheal activity of STR (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg; orally) in castor oil-induced diarrheal mice was studied. In vitro, the effects of STR (0.01-10 mg/mL) on the isolated tissue preparations of rabbit jejunum were also investigated, the rabbit jejunum stripes were pre-contracted with Ach (10-5 M), K+ (60 mM) and tested in the presence of STR, the possible spasmolytic effect was analyzed in the pretreatment of the jejunum preparations with STR or verapamil in Ca2+-free high-K+ (60 mM) solution containing EDTA.
Objective
The gastrointestinal effect of the methanol extract of ST rhizome (STR) was evaluated. Materials and
Results
STR (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg) exhibited antidiarrheal activity. STR (0.01-10 mg/mL) completely relaxed spontaneously contracting, Ach (10-5 M) and high K+ (60 mM) induced contracted jejunum with an EC50 value of 0.66 (0.49-0.96), 0.39 (0.28-0.44) and 0.17 (0.10-0.21), similar to verapamil. Concentration-response curves of CaCl2 could be significantly moved to the right and down in the presence of STR (0.3, 1 mg/mL).