ETHNO MEDICAL VALUE OF HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA THUNB METHANOL EXTRACT IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED DIARRHOEA

Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (H. cordata) is used as a remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery in Asia, but has not been investigated for its antidiarrhoeal properties. Antidiarrhoeal activity of 80% “methanol extract of H. cordata” (HCM) was investigated in this study using castor oil induced diarrhoea, castor oil induced intraluminal fluid accumulation as well as charcoal transit in wister albino rat. The extract significantly increased the latent period of diarrhoea in all the models. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, and tannins. It is suggested that the extract may contain biologically active components that may be useful against diarrhoea, thereby justifying its use in ethnomedical practice as an antidiarrhoeal agent. The HCM produced a significant (P < 0.05) dose dependent decrease castor oil induced diarrhoeal faeces with values of 54.35% and 65.22% respectively at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg vs. 93.48 for reference dose loperamide. The extract also significantly decreased the gastrointestinal motility 33.22% and 51.53% as well as fluid accumulation 26.53% and 43.54 at both doses 200 and 400mg/kg respectively. The results suggest that H. cordata showed antidiarrhoeal activity and justify its use in traditional medicine.