PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION AND IN VIVO ANTIDIARRHOEAIC EFFECTS OF TERMINALIA AVICENNIOIDES IN SWISS ALBINO RATS

Abstract

Aim: The study was undertaken to determine the in vivo antidiarrhoeaic effects of ethanol crude

extract, aqueous, n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions of Terminalia avicennioides leaf against

clinical isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium isolated from diarrhoeaic patients attending some

hospitals in Kaduna State.

Methods: The study was conducted in 2023. The phytochemical constituents of the leaf extract

and its fractions were determined using standard analytical methods. The median Lethal Dose

(LD50) and the in vivo antidiarrhoeaic effects of the crude extract and fractions of the extract against

clinical isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium were determined in Swiss albino rats using standard

methods.

Results: The result of phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, cardiac

glycosides, saponins, flavonoides, tannins, alkaloids, phenols and triterpenes. The LD50 of the

crude extract and fractions of the crude extract were all found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg body

weights of rats. None of the rats showed signs of abnormality in behaviour and mortality as in the

control groups. The result of the in vivo antidiarrhoeal studies shows significant weight gain and

reduction in the concentrations of S. Typhimurium in the faeces of some animal groups infected

with 2.0 x 108 cfu/ml of S. Typhimurium cells during the eight (8) days treatment period with the

250 mg/kg body weight of crude extract and extract fractions. The effect was higher among the

animal group treated with n-butanol fraction where fewer death were observed compared to other

groups.

Conclusions: Terminalia avicennioides leaf has high in vivo antidiarrhoeal activities. The

significant treatment effect, weight gain and reduction in concentrations of S. Typhimurium shed

in the faeces of some infected groups of rats, may be attributed to the bioactive compounds present

in the leaf extract of T. avicennioides.