In vivo Antidiarrheal Activity of the Extracts and a Major Compound Isolated from the Roots of Sida ovata Forssk
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Date
2024-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Diarrhea is a common health issue often dealt with traditional remedies, especially in developing
countries, where medicinal plants are frequently used. Sida ovata Forssk (Malvaceae) is a
medicinal plant used in Nigerian folkloric medicine for the treatment of diarrhea, and in Ethiopia
it is employed for managing various disorders including inflammation, wound and skin infection.
However, despite its traditional uses, there is a lack of scientific evaluation regarding its claimed
activities. This study aimed to assess the antidiarrheal activities of the 80% MeOH extract of
S. ovata root and its major constituent using mice models. The hydroalcoholic extract was
obtained by macerating the roots of S. ovata in 80% MeOH. The extract was subjected to
solvent fractionation and isolation, which led to the isolation of a sterol tentatively identified as
stigmasterol. Structural elucidation of the isolated compound was carried out by spectroscopic
techniques (1H- and 13C-NMR). The antidiarrheal activity of the total extract, solvent fractions,
and the isolated compound was assessed using castor oil-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced
enteropooling, and castor oil-induced gastrointestinal motility tests. Acute toxicity test results of
this study indicated that the 80% MeOH root extract of S. ovata was safe by oral route up to a
dose of 2000 mg/kg. Oral dose levels of 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg were used for the crude extract
and solvent fractions, whilst doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg were employed for the isolated
compound. Similarly, the isolated compound appeared to be safe at the maximum dose tested
(100 mg/kg). In vivo antidiarrheal index of the 80% MeOH extract and solvent fractions of
S. ovata roots increased in a dose dependent manner. The highest antidiarrheal index was
observed at the maximum dose of the test substances. Among the solvent fractions, the MeOH
fraction showed the highest antidiarrheal index at all dose levels, although these values are less
than that of the 80% MeOH extract. Stigmasterol produced dose-dependent antidiarrheal indices
with the maximum effect at 100 mg/kg. In conclusion, the present study provided evidence that
the roots of S. ovata possess genuine antidiarrheal activity supporting the folkloric assertion of
the plant.
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Keywords
Sida ovata, traditional medicine, antidiarrheal effect, stigmasterol.