Evaluation of antidiarrhoeal and wound healing potentials of Ceratophyllum demersum Linn. whole plant in rats

Abstract

The methanolic and aqueous extracts of whole plant of Ceratophyllum demersum were evaluated for antidiarrhoeal and wound healing potentials using experimental models in rats. Acute oral toxicity studies were performed according to the OECD 423 guidelines. Antidiarrhoeal activity at a dose of 250 and 500 mg/kg was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulphate induced diarrhoea in rats and the parameters studied were: total no. of faeces, no. of wet faeces, percentage inhibition of defecation and diarrhoeic drops. Wound healing activity of the both the extracts (5 % w/w ointment in simple ointment base) was evaluated in excision wound model and the parameters taken into account were percentage of wound closure and epithelialization time. Both the extracts at a dose of 500 mg/kg showed significant antidiarrhoeal and also showed significant wound healing activities (5 % w/w). It can be concluded that, the methanolic and aqueous extracts possesses antidiarrhoeal and wound healing activities, which support the use of whole plant in traditional medicine to treat the diarrhoea and wound.