Investigation of Antidiarrheal Activity of the Aqueous Leave Extract of Ficus asperifolia in Rats

Ficus asperifolia (FA) has been recommended locally for several disorders including diarrhea. Although various work had been done on Ficus asperifolia but not on it antidiarrhea activity. The objective of this research is to investigate the antidiarrheal activity of the aqueous leave extract of Ficus asperifolia in rats. This is to substantiate the traditional claim of the antidiarrheal activity of FA. The effect of aqueous leave extract of Ficus asperifolia on castor oil-induced diarrhea, castor oil-induced enteropooling, and gastrointestinal motility test using activated charcoal meal method were examined. The extract was first assayed for its effects in castor oil-induced diarrhea at different doses (400, and 800mg/kg, p.o.) in which significant activity (p<0.05) was observed at a dose of 800mg/kg. Hence, the dose was been used as the working dose in the other models. In induced Enteropooling and Intestinal motility, there was a significant reduction in secretion and distance travel by marker respectively. The result shows that aqueous leave extract of FA have an antidiarrheal activity by inhibiting secretion and intestinal motility.