ANTIDIARRHEAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACTS AND FRANCTIONS OF IPOMOEA BATATA LEAVES (CONVOLVULACEAE) IN ANIMAL MODEL

*Cimanga Kanyanga R, Ndala Kasanda N

ABSTRACT

The present study involved the assessment of antidiarrheal activity of extracts and fractions as well as acute and sub-acute toxicity of aqueous extract from Ipomea batatas leaves in animal model. In castor-oil-induced diarrhea, results showed that aqueous and 80% methanol extracts, and chloroform, ethylacetate, n-butanol and residual aqueous soluble fractions from I. batatas leaves administered at the highest oral dose of 200 mg/kg body weight, delayed significant diarrhea and defecation production onset times from 134.4±0.2 to 152.2±0.2 minutes (min). They next caused marked decrease of diarrheal parameter levels wet and hard faeces to 1.2±0.3 to 3.3±0.3 and 1.2±0.3 to 2.8±0.3 respectively, and secreted intestinal fluid volume to 0.1±0.0 to 0.3±0.1 respectively. They produced 66.7±0.0 to 89.0±0.1% and 68.0±0.2 to 90.1±0.2 % inhibition of diarrhea and defecation production respectively. On the other hand, the administration of Loperamide as the reference antidiarrheal product at oral dose of 5 mg/kg body weight, produced prominent enhancement of diarhhea and defecation onset time to 157.3±0.3 min with prominent decrease of diarrheal parameter levels wet and hard faeces to 1.1±0.2 and 0.7±0.2 respectively, and secreted intestinal volume to 0.1±0.0. All compared to negative control showing low onset time of 87.2±0.3 min and high diarrheal parameter levels as wet and hard faeces to 11.2±0.4 and 9.7±0.3 respectively, associated to secreted intestinal fluid volume of 1.5±0.3. It produced 91.0±0.1 and 92.0±0.2% inhibition of diarrhea and defecation respectively. In magnesium sulphate-induced diarrhea, all sampled from I. batatas induced marked delaying of diarrhea and defecation onset time from 136.4±0.1 to 156.3±0.1 min with prominent reduction of diarrheal parameter levels of wet and hard faeces varying from 1.2±0.3 to 3.4 and 1.5±0.3 to 3.2±0.1 respectively, and secreted intestinal fluid volume ranged between 0.1±0.0 and 0.3±0.1. Loperamide showed remarkable effects by delaying diarrhea and defecation onset time to 160.3±0.1 min, in significantly decreasing at the same time diarrheal parameter levels of wet and hard faeces to 1.2±0.1 and 0.9±03.2 respectively followed by secreted intestinal fluid volume of 0.1±0.0 compared to negative control showing low onset time of 93.3±0.1 min, accompanied with high diarrheal parameter levels of wet and hard faeces of 10.2±0.2 and 7.7±0.5 respectively and secreted intestinal fluid volume of 2.5±0.3. In addition, Loperamide (5 mg/kg body weight) and these samples from I. batatas (200 mg/kg body weight) caused significant inhibition of gastro-intestinal motility and enteropooling. These reported results clearly demonstrated that Loperamide, extracts and fractions from Ipomeoa batatas possessed interesting antidiarrheal properties and can be used in traditional medicine for the treating of diarrhea in African countries where it known this medical use.

Keywords: Ipomea batatas, leaves, Extract, fractions, diarrhea, antidiarrheal activity, gastro-intestinal motility, enteropooling.