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ABSTRACT
Diarrhea is a health challenge that serves as a major health threat globally. Tetracarpidium conophorum is used for the treatment of rheumatism, gout, cold, kidney pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, as a blood cleanser and to expel worms in the treatment of piles, while the bark serves as tea in the management of laxative and toothache. This study investigates the antidiarrhea potential of the aqueous extract of T. conophorum seed in experimental animals. The effects of the extract at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg on the gastro intestinal tract was evaluated via two models (castor oil and charcoal meal movement induced diarrhea) in mice. Loperamide and atropine at 5 mg/kg were used as positive control. The result showed a significant increase in the onset of stool across graded doses at (380; 580 and 1420 sec) when compared with the control (220 sec.). The extract at 50 and 100 mg/kg also elicited a pronounced decrease in the diarrhea stool (8 and 6.67 count), weight of stool (0.15; 0.12 g) when compared with the control (13.33 count and 0.33 g). The extract showed a significant increase in the percentage inhibition (9.8; 17.4 and 24.7 %) of the graded doses of the extract when compared with 5 mg/kg loperamide (28.5 %) and untreated control (0.00 %). At 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg. in the charcoal meal antidiarrheal study a significant decrease in distance travelled (18.67; 4.75 and 19.50 cm) by the charcoal when compared with the control groups (11.50 and 26.17 %) was observed. T. conophorum seed aqueous extract (25 and 50 mg/kg) also showed an increase in the percentage peristalsis (16.4; 4.8 and 15.2 %) and percentage inhibitory level (11.4; 29.3 and 9.8 %) when compared with 5 mg/kg atropine (9.81 and 19.4 %) and untreated control (19.6 and 0.00 %). Hence, the results obtained from this scientific validation, justify the benefits of T. conophorum seed extract from the ethnomedicinal report.
