Etuk E.U., Ugwah M.O., Ajagbonna O.P., Onyeyili P.A.
Department of Pharmacology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Markudi, Nigeria
Etuk, E.U., Department of Pharmacology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria; Ugwah, M.O., Department of Pharmacology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria; Ajagbonna, O.P., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Nigeria; Onyeyili, P.A., Department of Veterinary Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Markudi, Nigeria
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants use in Sokoto state of Nigeria for the treatment of diarrhoeal disorders was conducted. The plants documented were identified botanically and ranked based on informant frequency of citation. Ten top rank plants were then selected and screened for acute toxicity, phytochemical constituents and antidiarrhoea properties. A fixed single dose (3000 mg/kg b.wt.) of aqueous extract of each plant was administered orally to five female Sprague dawley rats in sequence to test for acute toxic effect. Another fixed dose of 200 mg/kg (b.wt.) of each extract was administered orally to treat diarrhoea induced with castor oil (1.0 ml) in each group of rats (n = 6). The results showed that, nineteen plants were cited by the Herbalist as being used for the treatment of diarrhoea in Sokoto state. The aqueous extracts of the ten selected plants were relatively safe after short term oral administration and tannins was the only phytochemical compound detected in all the extracts. Even though the ten selected plants exhibited varying degrees of antidiarrhoea activities, Lannea acida followed by Euphorbia hirta and Acacia nilotica respectively produced the most effective diarrhoea inhibition. This study has identified nineteen medicinal plants used in Sokoto for the treatment of diarrhoea. Tannins was the only phytochemical compound detected in all the screened plants and Lannea acida showed the highest antidiarrhoea potential. © 2009 Academic Journals.
Acacia nilotica extract; Acacia polyancatha extract; alkaloid; Ampelocissos grantii extract; Anacardium occientale extract; Andropogon gayanus extract; Anogessus leiocarpus extract; antidiarrheal agent; Boswellia diazielii extract; Bridelia frerruginea extract; Cajanus cajan extract; Euphorbia extract; Ficus thoningii extract; flavonoid; guava extract; Lannea acida extract; Mytragne africana extract; Pilostigma reticulatum extract; plant extract; Securidaca longipendunculata extract; tannin; Terminalia macroptera extract; unclassified drug; Veronica kotschyana extract; Ziziphus abyssinica extract; Acacia; Acacia polyancatha; Ampelocissos grantii; Anacardiaceae; Andropogon; Andropogon gayanus; animal experiment; animal model; Anogessus leiocarpus; article; bark; Boswellia; Boswellia diazielii; Bridelia frerruginea; cashew nut; controlled study; diarrhea; drug mechanism; drug screening; Euphorbia; euphorbia hirta; female; Ficus; Ficus thoningii; guava; jujube; Lannea acida; legume; male; medicinal plant; Mytragne africana; Nigeria; nonhuman; phytochemistry; pigeonpea; Pilostigma reticulatum; plant leaf; plant root; rat; Rubiaceae; Securidaca; Securidaca longipendunculata; single drug dose; Terminalia; Terminalia macroptera; Veronica; Veronica kotschyana; Vitaceae; Ziziphus abyssinica; Acacia nilotica; Chamaesyce hirta; Lannea acida; Rattus; Rattus norvegicus
