ENHANCEMENT OF ANTIDIARRHOEAL EFFECT OF DIPHENOXYLATE BY PIPERINE

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of Piperine on the antidiarrhoeal activity of Diphenoxylate. Antidiarrhoeal effect of Diphenoxylate, Piperine and Diphenoxylate in combination with Piperine was subjected to pharmacological evaluation. Antidiarrhoeal effect was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea model while antimotility and antisecretory effect was evaluated in charcoal meal test and castor oil-induced intestinal secretions in mice. Diphenoxylate at a dose of 1 mg/kg produced 43% and 37.71% inhibition of diarrhoea in castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea model respectively. Diphenoxylate at a dose of 1 mg/kg produced 18.47% antimotility effect and 35.79% antisecretory effect. Piperine at a dose of 10 mg/kg showed 18.89% and 20.72% antidiarrhoeal effect in castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea model respectively. Piperine at a dose of 10 mg/kg produced an 11.55% antimotility effect and 27.65% antisecretory effect. Diphenoxylate (1 mg/kg) with Piperine (10 mg/kg) produced 82.48% and 81.20% inhibition of diarrhoea in castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea model respectively. Diphenoxylate (1 mg/kg) with Piperine (10 mg/kg) produced 42.80% antimotility effect and 73.67% antisecretory effect. The results of the present study indicated that the antidiarrhoeal effect of Diphenoxylate was increased when given with Piperine is because of augmentation of antimotility and antisecretory effect of Diphenoxylate. Enhancement of antidiarrhoeal effect of Diphenoxylate when given with Piperine may be due to the bioenhancing effect of Piperine and thus producing synergism.