Abstract:
The treatment of diarrhea and other ailments via the use of medicinal plants by traditional medicine practitioners calls for scientific authentication. This study examined and compared the effect of aqueous and crude leaf extracts of Albizia zygia on gastrointestinal transit in adult rats. Forty male Wistar strain albino rats weighing between 120-250g were administered with aqueous and crude leaf extracts of Albizia zygia (200, 400, and 600mg/kg) in each case, normal saline and loperamide (5mg/kg) via the oral route respectively. Subsequently, 0.5ml of 3% charcoal suspension in 5% suspension of tragacanth powder was administered orally to each animal. The rats were sacrificed 30mins later and the distance traveled by the charcoal plug from the pylorus to caecum was determined. Results showed that rats pretreated with 200mg/kg of crude leaf extracts of A. zygia (p<0.05) retarded the intestinal transit of charcoal meal more than the control, loperamide, and aqueous extract groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the effect produced by various doses of both extracts in comparison. Crude extract of Albizia zygia possesses anti-diarrhoeal property and has inhibitory effect on gastrointestinal transit in rats as 200mg/kg of the extract produced a better inhibition than loperamide. This, therefore, authenticates the folkloric practice of using it in the treatment/management of diarrhea.
