Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 9, 2025

Author Spotlight: Advancing Antidiarrheal Research with the Drosophila Model
Published on: November 17, 2023
Effect of Green Banana (Musa paradisiaca) on Recovery in Children With Acute Watery Diarrhea With No Dehydration : A
Dhandapany Gunasekaran1, Anandhi Chandramohan2, Kadirvel Karthikeyan2
1Department of Pediatrics, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry, India. Correspondence to: Dr Dhandapany Gunasekaran, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, JIPMER, Puducherry, India. drguna007@gmail.com.
Background:
Cooked green banana (Musa paradisiaca) has been observed to be useful in reducing the duration of diarrheal illness in children.
Objective:
To evaluate whether supplementation of cooked green banana shortens the duration of diarrhea in children with acute watery diarrhea with no dehydration.
Study Design:
Open label randomized controlled trial.
Participants:
Consecutive children aged 9 months to 5 years who presented with acute watery diarrhea within 48 hours of onset of illness with no dehydration.
Intervention:
Children in the control group received standard care, while those in the intervention group received cooked green banana in addition to standard care under supervision in the hospital for 72 hours, and then continued at home until diarrhea stopped or 14th day of illness, whichever is earlier.
Outcome Measures:
Proportion of children who improved at 72 hours of intervention (passing formed stools with normal frequency) was considered as the primary outcome and the incidence of complications such as dehydration, persistent diarrhea and secondary lactose intolerance were evaluated as the secondary outcomes.
Results:
The proportion of children who recovered within 72 hours was significantly higher (62.4%) in the green banana group compared to the control group (47.2%) [RR 1.3 (95% CI 1.05-1.7), NNT=7].The number of children with complications such as dehydration and persistent diarrhea was also signi-ficantly less in the intervention group.
Conclusion:
Supplementation of cooked green banana in the diet of children with acute watery diarrhea with no dehydration hastens their recovery.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Adsorbents as Antidiarrheal Agents
Adsorbents...
Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Drugs for Treatment of Constipation-Predominant IBS

