Phytother Res. 2002 Sep; 16(6): 529-33.

Antidiarrhoeal activity of seed extract of Albizzia lebbeck Benth.

Besra SE, Gomes A, Chaudhury L, Vedasiromoni JR, Ganguly DK.

Division of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Calcutta 700 032, India.

The antidiarrhoeal activity of the seed extract of Albizzia lebbeck (Benth.) was investigated employing conventional rodent models of diarrhoea, i.e. castor oil-induced diarrhoea, upper gastrointestinal transit (u.g.t.) and fluid secretion. It was found that the aqueous methanol extract of Albizzia lebbeck seeds (2.5-5 mg/kg i.p.) possessed antidiarrhoeal activity which strengthens the earlier use of the seeds in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. The antidiarrhoeal dose of the extract was at least 10-30 times less than the LD(50) dose. The extract (2.5-5 mg/kg i.p.) potentiated the antidiarrhoeal activity of loperamide (1 mg/kg i.p.). Nalaxone (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) significantly inhibited the antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract as well as loperamide, thus indicating a role of the opioid system in the antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract.Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.