Related Experiment Videos
Antidiarrheal activity, chemical and toxicity profile of Berberis aristata
Padmaja V Joshi1, Atul A Shirkhedkar, Krishnan Prakash
1R.C. Patel College of Pharmacy, Karvand Naka, Shirpur, India.
Context:
This study evaluated the in vitro and in vivo antidiarrheal activity, oral acute toxicological profile, and developed a chemical fingerprint of Berberis aristata Linn. (Berberidaceae).
Materials And Methods:
The ethanol (by maceration) and aqueous (by Soxhlet) extracts of Berberis aristata bark were used for the study. The study involved the antimicrobial (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) by micro dilution) and antidiarrheal (castor oil induced diarrhea, charcoal motility) tests. The active principle, berberine was characterized by different spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques.
Results:
The MIC and MBC (of both extracts) against all strains of Shigella were recorded between 125 to 500 µg/mL and 300 to 600 µg/mL, respectively. The MIC and MBC values of berberine are almost comparable to standard ciprofloxacin. UV and IR spectroscopy along with HPTLC and HPLC studies showed presence of berberine in the extracts. The onset of castor oil induced diarrhea was delayed and number of diarrheal episodes was reduced by both the extracts in a dose dependent manner. Similarly, the length of intestine traveled by the feed was also significantly reduced in the charcoal motility test by both the extracts. LD(50) of >5000 mg/kg body weight was observed for both extracts in the acute oral toxicity studies with Swiss albino mice.
Conclusion:
The results validate in vivo and in vitro antidiarrheal activity of Berberis aristata extracts and provide its chemical fingerprint.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Adsorbents as Antidiarrheal Agents
Adsorbents...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Opioids as Antidiarrheal Agents
Opioids, widely used antidiarrheal agents, mitigate diarrhea by slowing down...
Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Treatment Strategies
Antidotes
Specific antidotes operate by inhibiting the enzymes that control biochemical pathways, reducing the production of harmful metabolites.
An example of an antidote is atropine, which counteracts the detrimental effects of cholinesterase inhibitors. It achieves this by deactivating muscarinic receptors,...