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2008 Kyung Hee University Press 1
Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine 2008 8(2), 00-00
www.opem.org
OPEM
Analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities of Treama orientalis Linn. in mice
Sarder Nasir Uddin
1,
*
, Khan Mohammad Ahsan Uddin
1
and Firoz Ahmed
2
1
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh;
2
Pharmacy
Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh
Received for publication May 18, 2007; accepted October 16, 2008
SUMMARY
Trema orientalis Linn. is commonly grown in many parts of Bangladesh. Its leaves have been used for
analgesic and anti-diarrhoeal activity in traditional medicine. This study evaluates the potential
analgesic and anti-diarrhoeal activity of methanol and aqueous extracts of leaves in experimental acetic
acid induced writhing and castor oil induced diarrhoea in mice. The aqueous extract of leaves showed
significant (P < 0.001) analgesic effect in acetic acid induced writhing in mice at a dose of 500 mg/kg
body weight In castor oil induced antidiarrhoeal screening both extract increased latent period (P <
0.025) and decrease the number of stool (P < 0.025) at the dose of 500 mg/kg body weight comparable
with that of the standard drug loperamide. The results provide a support for the use of this plant in
traditional medicine and suggest its further investigation.
Key words: Analgesic; Antidiarrhoea; Trema orientalis Linn.; Extract
INTRODUCTION
During the past decade, traditional systems of
medicine have become increasingly important in
view of their safety. Current estimates suggest that,
in many developing countries, a large proportion
of the population relies heavily on traditional
practitioners and medicinal plants to meet primary
health care needs. Although modern medicine may
be available in these countries, herbal medicines
(phytomedicines) have often maintained popularity
for historical and cultural reasons. Concurrently,
many people in developed countries have begun to
turn to alternative or complementary therapies,
including medicinal herbs.
Bangladesh possesses rich floristic wealth and
diversified genetic resources of medicinal plants. It
has a widely ranging tropical and the agro climatic
conditions, which are conducive for introducing
and domesticating new and exotic plant varieties.
The use of the plants, plant extracts and pure
compounds isolated from natural sources provided
the foundation to modern pharmaceutical compounds.
T. orientalis (Bengali name- Jibon or Chikon) is a
tree and belongs to the Ulmaceae family. The plant
is distributed in almost all districts of Bangladesh
and is used in traditional medicine by the rural people
and possesses various interesting pharmacological
activities. The root of the plant is used in the treatment
of diarrhoea, asthma and passing of blood in urine;
the bark is used as poultice in muscular pain; the
roots, barks and leaves are used in epilepsy
(Kirtikar and Basu, 1980). In African folk medicine,
it is used in many diseases including dysentery,
*Correspondence: Sarder Nasir Uddin, Biotechnology
and Genetic Engineering Discipline, Khulna University,
Khulna-9208, Bangladesh. Fax: +88041731244; E-mail:
nasir713@yahoo.com
DOI 10.3742/OPEM.2008.8.2.001
2008 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine 8(2), 00-00
2 Sarder Nasir Uddin et al.
hypertension, etc (Iwe, 1993). Fruit, leaves, bark,
stems, twigs and seeds are also used in traditional
medicine. The leaves are used to treat coughs and
sore throats and the bark is used to make cough
syrups. Other reported uses include remedies for
bronchitis, gonorrhoea, malaria, yellow fever, toothaches,
and intestinal worms (Rulangaranga, 1991).
As part of our continuing efforts to study the
chemical and pharmacological aspects of the
medicinal plants of Bangladesh, T. orientalis was
investigated Successive extraction of dried powdered
Leaves of T. orientalis (Family-Ulmaceae) methanol
and aqueous extracts and the effects of both extracts
were investigated analgesic and antidiarrhoeal
activities. Since there is a vast resource of Trema
Orientalis in Bangladesh, the present study will
provide some valuable information about the
pharmacological properties of this plant.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant materials
Fresh leaves of T. orientalis were collected from
Khulna University Campus in Bangladesh. The
plant was identified by the experts of Bangladesh
National Herbarium, Mirpur, Dhaka (Accession
no. 31,285) and a voucher specimen was also
deposited there. The fresh leaves were cleaned,
dried and pulverized. About 400 g of powdered
material was taken in a clean, flat bottomed glass
container (4 l) and soaked in 1,300 ml of 80% of
methanol. The container was sealed and kept for a
period of 10 days with occasional shaking and
stirring. Then it was filtered and concentrated by
evaporation.
Experimental animal
Young Swiss-albino mice aged 4 - 5 weeks, average
weight 20 - 25 g were used for the experiment. The
mice were purchased from the animal Research
Branch of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal
Disease and Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B). They
were kept in standard environmental condition for
one week for adaptation after their purchase and
fed ICDDR, B formulated rodent feed and water.
Analgesic activity test
Analgesic activity of both methanol and aqueous
extract was tested by acetic acid induced writhing
model in mice (Whittle, 1964). Eighty four mice of
either sex were grouped in six (n = 14 per group).
Each group received a particular treatment i.e.
group-I for control, group-II for positive control,
test group-I for aqueous extract at the dose of 250
mg/kg, test group-II for aqueous extract at the
dose of 500 mg/kg, test group-III for methanol
extract at the dose of 250 mg/kg and test group-IV
for methanol extract at the dose of 500 mg/kg. 1%
tween-80 solution in deionized water at the doses
10 ml/kg per oral was used as control and
Diclofenac-Na was used at the doses of 25 mg/kg
body weights per oral as a standard positive
control. To prepare suspension of the test samples
at required doses, the required amount of extract
was triturated in unidirectional manner by the
addition of small amount of tween-80. After proper
mixing of extract and tweeen-80, the volume was
adjusted with deionized water. The test consists of
injecting 0.7% acetic acid solution intraperitoneally.
Control and test sample was given orally 30 min
prior to acetic acid injection. Each mouse of all
groups was observed carefully to count the number of
writhing that they had made in 15 minutes.
Incomplete writhing was taken as half-writhing, so
two half-writhing were taken as one full writhing.
Antidiarrhoeal acitvity test
Antidiarrhoeal activity was tested using the castor
oil induced diarrhea in mice (Chatterjee, 1993).
Experimental animals were randomly selected and
divided into four groups (n = 5 per group). Each
group received a particular treatment i.e. group-I
for control, group-II for positive control, test group-I
for aqueous extract and test group-II for methanol at
the dose of 500 mg/kg, Loperamid was used at the
doses of 4 mg/kg body weight as a standard.
Analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities of Treama orientalis Linn. in mice 3
2008 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine 8(2), 00-00
Control vehicle and the extract were administered
orally, 1h prior to the oral administration of castor
oil at dose of 0.5 ml per mice. Individual animals of
each group were placed in separate cages having
adsorbent paper beneath and examined for the
presence of diarrhea every hour in five hour study
after castor oil administered. Number of stool or
any fluid that stained the adsorbent paper was
counted at each successive hour during the
experiment. The latent period of each mouse also
counted.
Statistical analysis
Student’s t-test was used to determine a significant
difference between the control groups and
experimental groups for both the experiment.
RESULTS
The crude extract of aqueous and methanol extract
of leaves of T. orientalis linn. was used for analgesic
and antidiarrhoeal activity in mice at different
doses.
Analgesic activity of aqueous and methanol
extract of T. orientalis leaves was tested by acetic
acid induced writhing in mice. The methanol
extract showed 16.67% and 30.01% acetic acid
induced writhing inhibition in mice at the doses of
250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight respectively.
But the Aqueous extract showed 38.34% and
56.67% acetic acid induced writhing inhibition in
mice at the doses of 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg
body weight respectively. This was comparable to
diclofenac sodium where the inhibition was 48.34%
at the dose of 25 mg/kg body weight (Table 1).
In the study of antidiarrhoeal activity, aqueous
and methanol extract at the dose of 500 mg/kg
body weight was used as test group, 1% tween-80
at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight was used as
control and loperamide at the dose 4 mg/kg body
weight was used as standard. From the study, it
showed that both aqueous and methanol extract
increased the latent period as compared to control
and standard. In Table 2, it was found that aqueous
extract and methanol extract increased the latent
period 1.456 h and 1.240 h respectively whereas
control and standard increased the latent period
1.096 h and 1.284 h respectively. From the same
doses we also showed that both the aqueous and
methanol extract decreased the number of stool as
Table 1. Effect of Trema orientalis on acetic acid induced writhing in mice (n = 4)
Animal group/Treatment
Number of Writhing
(% writhing)
Inhibition (%)
Group I- Control 1% Tween-80 solution in water, 10 ml/kg, p.o. 30 ± 1.07 (100) 00
Group II- Positive control-Diclofenac Sodium 25 mg/kg, p.o. 15.5 ± 0.64
(51.66) 48.34
Test group I- Aqueous extract 250 mg/kg, p.o. 18.5 ± 0.97
(61.66) 38.34
Test group II- Aqueous extract 500 mg/kg , p.o. 13 ± 0.70
(43.33) 56.67
Test group III- Methanol extract 250 mg/kg , p.o. 25 ± 1.29
(83.33) 16.67
Test group IV- Methanol Extract 500 mg/kg , p.o. 21 ± 1.13
(69.99) 30.01
Values are expressed as mean ± S.E.M.
indicates P < 0.001 vs. control; %: percentage; p.o.: per oral.
Table 2. Effect of T. orientalis on castor oil induced diarrhea in mice (Latent Period)
Animal group/Treatment Dose (mg/kg, per oral) Latent Period (h)
group-I, Control (1% tween-80) 10 1.096 ± 0.025
group-II, Standard (loperamide) 4 1.284 ± 0.053
group-III, Test group (Aqueous extract) 500 1.456 ± 0.029
group-IV (Methanol extract) 500 1.240 ± 0.058
Values are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. (n = 5) P < 0.025 vs control.
2008 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine 8(2), 00-00
4 Sarder Nasir Uddin et al.
compared to the control and standard (Table 3).
During the first hour, the number of stool was 6.6
and 6.2 for aqueous and methanol extract respectively,
but the same time it was 7.8 and 7.2 for control and
standard (Table 3). The mean number of stools was
6.2, 4.4, 3.8, 1.2 and 0.6 at the 1
st
to 5
th
hour for
aqueous extract and 6.6, 3.8, 0.8, 0.8 and 0.2 at the
1
st
to 5
th
hour for methanol extract respectively. The
given data showed that the increase in period
decreases the number of stools.
DISCUSSION
For the millions of rural populations in countries of
the developing world, diarrhoeal diseases continue
to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality,
with an estimated 1 billion episodes of illness and
some 5 million or more deaths in children under
5 years. In such populations, preparations from
herbs and plants remain the most common forms
of treatment for diarrhoeal disease.
Acetic acid induced writhing model represents
pain sensation by triggering localized inflammatory
response. Acetic acid, which is used to induce
writhing, causes algesia by liberation of endogenous
substances, which in turn excite the pain nerve
endings (Taesotikul et al., 2003).
The acetic acid induced writhing demonstrates a
noxious stimulation in mice. The test consists of
injecting 0.7% acetic acid solution intraperitoneally
and then observed the animal for specific contraction
of body referred as ‘writhing’. A comparison of
writhing was made between positive control
(Diclofenac-Na), control and test sample given
orally 30 min prior to acetic acid injection. If the
sample possesses analgesic activity, the animal that
received the sample will give lower number of
writhing than the control, i.e. the sample having
analgesic activity will inhibit writhing.
From the study it was found that aqueous extract
of leaves at the doses of 500 mg/kg exhibited highly
significant (P < 0.001) inhibition of writhing reflex
by 56.76% while the standard drug diclofenac (25
mg/kg body weight) inhibition was found to be
48.34% (Table 1). So, it is concluded that the aqueous
extract of T. orientalis possess strong analgesic action.
Antidiarrhoeal activity of the aqueous and
methanol extract of Trema orientalis was tested
using the model of castor oil induced diarrhea in
mice. Castor oil, which was used to induce
diarrhea in mice, mixes with bile and pancreatic
enzymes and liberates ricinoleic acid from the
triglycerides upon oral administration. Most of the
ricinoleic acid remains in the intestine and
produces its anti absorptive effect. The ricinoleic
acid thus liberated readily forms ricinoleic salts
with sodium and potassium in the lumen of the
intestine. The salt formed as such behaves like a
soap or surfactant within gut and at the mucosal
surface. Most agreed view is that ricinoleate salt
Table 3. Effect of Trema orientalis on castor oil
induced diarrhea in mice (number of stools)
Animal
group/
Treatment
Dose
(mg/kg, per
oral)
Period of
study
(h)
Total no.
of stool
Control
(1% tween-80)
10
1 7.8 ± 0.73
2 5.0 ± 0.59
3 4.0 ± 0.63
4 3.6 ± 0.60
5 1.2 ± 0.48
Standard
(loperamide)
4
1 7.2 ± 0.73
2 4.6 ± 0.67
3 3.2 ± 0.37
4 1.28 ± 0.48
5 0.6 ± 0.40
Test group
(Aqueous
extract)
500
1 6.6 ± 0.6
2 3.8 ± 0.73
3 0.8 ± 0.48
4 0.8 ± 0.48
5 0.2 ± 0.2
Test group
(Methanol
extract)
500
1 6.2 ± 0.86
2 4.4 ± 0.5
3 3.8 ± 0.68
4 1.2 ± 0.37
5 0.6 ± 0.39
Values are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. (n = 5)
P < 0.025
vs control.
Analgesic and antidiarrhoeal activities of Treama orientalis Linn. in mice 5
2008 Oriental Pharmacy and Experimental Medicine 8(2), 00-00
stimulates the intestinal epithelial cell’s adenyl
cyclase (Racusen et al., 1979) or release prostaglandin
(Beubler et al., 1979).
The results showed that both the extract increase
the latent period and decrease the number of stools
i.e. delayed the onset of diarrhoeal episode at the
dose of 500 mg/kg body weight. If the sample
possesses antidiarrhoeal activity, the animal that
received the sample will give longer latent period
than the control, i.e. the sample having antidiarrhoeal
activity will increase the latent period and the
number of stools will decrease.
However, in toxicity evaluation of plant extracts
by brine shrimp lethality bioassay, aqueous extract
did not show any cytotoxic effect on brine shrimp
but methanol extract displayed toxicity. The
methanol extract showed cytotoxicity LC50 = 120 µg/
ml and LC
90
= 200 µg/ml. So, we have concluded
that the tested aqueous extract sample may be a
good source of analgesic and antidiarrhoeal medicine.
CONCLUSION
Bangladesh imports a large quantity of pharmaceutical
raw materials including medicinal plants and semi
processed plant products to produce drugs and
medicines. This huge foreign exchange can be
saved if the indigenous medicinal plants or their
semi-processed products are utilized by the
manufacturers to satisfy their needs. From the
above experiment, it could be suggested that both
aqueous and methanol extract of T. orientalis leaves
posses significant analgesic and antidiarrhoeal
activity in mice. So, further pharmacological and
toxicological study is required to establish the
therapeutic uses of the plant.
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