PHARMACOLOGICAL TOXICITIES AND ANTI-DIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF THUNBERGIA FRAGRANS LEAF EXTRACT

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the possible antidiarrheal and pharmacological toxicity of the leaf extract of the Thunbergia fragrans as it may potentially be a useful source of new effective therapies in the drug development process. The plant specimens were collected from in and around Thiruvannamlai, District,Tamilnadu. A portion of (55 g) the concentrated leaf extract was fractioned by using the modified Kupchan partitioning method into Petroleum extract, Ether extract, Chloroform extract, Ethyl acetate extract, Ethanol extract, Methanol extract, and Aqueous extract. The various tests performed on the extracts were for steroids, terpenoids, flavones, anthraquinones, sugars, glycosides, alkaloids, quinones, phenols, tannins and saponins and the results were tabulated. Wistar albino rats weighing around 150-350gms were selected for the experiment. The animals were checked to confirm that they were free from any disease. The rats were collected from the animal house of VISTAS, Chennai.117. The T.fragrans treated rats revealed significant (P<0.01) increase in weight of intestinal content when compared to normal rats. The relative intractability of diarrhea incidence, as compared with diarrhea-related mortality, as shown in the present analysis. It was may be suggest that growing access to timely and appropriate plant crud drugs treatment, better nutritional status, and fewer coexisting conditions are contributing factors to reducing diarrhea-related mortality. This study strongly implies that the ethanol extract of T.fragrans can be used to treat diarrhea and its effects. Further studies are required to evaluate the anti-diarrheal activity of T.fragrans leaf extract in other models. The isolation of the active compound, its evaluation in experimental model and study of mechanisms of action will eventually yield and develop new drugs.