ANTIDIARRHOEAL ACTIVITY OF LEAVES OF ACORUS CALAMUS

In developing countries, the majority of people living in rural areas almost exclusively use traditional medicines to treat all sorts of diseases including diarrhea. Many plants namely Andrographis paniculata, Acacia catechu, Acacia chandra, Terminalia chebula, Pterocarpus marsapium, Cassia auriculata etc. available in india are used in traditional folklore medicine for the treatment of diarrhea. Diarrhoea is a comman cause of illness resulting in high mortality in developing countries worldwide distribution of diarrhoea accounts for more than 5-8 millions deaths each year. It thus becomes important to identify and evaluate scientifically the antidiarrhoeal effects of leaves of Acorus calamus against castor oil induced dirrhoea. Methanolic  Extract was studied for antidiarrhoeal potential using wistar rats and loperamide as a standard. Extracts were administered orally to test animals. Stools were collected upto 4 hrs in transparent plastic dishes of uniform weight. Urine was drained off by gravity every 15 mins. during the 4 hrs. diarrhoeal free period, acute diarrhoea and late diarrhoeal excretions were noted. Gastrointestinal motility test also performed. Methanolic extract showed promising antidiarrhoeal activity which valid its traditional claim. Methanolic extract (400mg/kg) showed control wet feaces (0.98±0.35) and more diarrhoeal period.