Objective: To evaluate the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities of the ethanolic calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. in mice. Methods: In the present study, the dried calyxes of H. sabdariffa were subjected to extraction with 95% ethanol and the extract was used to investigate the possible activities. Antinociceptive activity of the extract was evaluated by using the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The anti-inflammatory effect of the extract was tested by using the xylene-induced ear edema model mice. Castor oil-induced diarrheal model mice were used to evaluate the antidiarrheal activity of the extract. Results: In acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract produced inhibited writhing in mice siginificantly compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract showed significant inhibition of ear edema formation in xylene-induced ear edema model mice in a dose-related manner compared with the blank control (P<0.01). The extract demonstrated a significant antidiarrheal activity against castor oil-induced diarrheal in mice in which it decreased the frequency of defecation and increased the mean latent period at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (P<0.01). Conclusion: The above mentioned findings indicate that the calyx extract of H. sabdariffa possesses significant antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal activities that support its uses in traditional medicine.

To investigate analgesic, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) by three experimental methods.

OBJECTIVETo investigate analgesic, antidiarrhoeal and cytotoxic activities of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae) by three experimental methods.

METHODSAnalgesic activity of the ethanol extract of Passiflora foetida L. (EEPF) acetic acid-induced writhing inhibition in mice. The method of castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice was utilized to evaluate antidiarrhoeal activity. The cytotoxic activity of EEPF was explored with a brine shrimp lethality bioassay.

RESULTSThe extract showed 68.75% and 30.00% inhibition of writhe at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The extract increased the mean latent period prior to diarrhoeal onset to about 1.55 h and 1.17 h, and decreased the mean number of stools to 4.4 and 5.6 at the doses of 500 and 250 mg/kg body weight. The extract also demonstrated cytotoxic activity in the brine shrimp lethality assay, and the median lethal concentration for brine shrimp nauplii was 80 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that the plant extract has analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities, supporting its uses in traditional medicine. The results also demonstrate that the plant extract possesses cytotoxic activities.

Analgesics ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Antidiarrheals ; pharmacology ; Diarrhea ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Female ; Male ; Mice ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Passiflora ; chemistry ; Phytotherapy ; adverse effects ; methods ; Plant Extracts ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; toxicity