TOXICOLOGICAL AND ANTIDIARRHEAL STUDIES OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF TWO MEDICINAL PLANTS: SCLEROCARYA BIRREA(A. RICH) HOCHST (ANACARDIACEAE) AND PSIDIUM GUAJAVALINN (MYRTACEAE) IN NMRI MICE

Sclerocaryabirrea and Psidiumguajava are two medicinal plants traditionally used in rural areas for the treatment of many diseases, including diarrhea. In our experiments, we used plants leaves aqueous extract for toxicity evaluation and preventive antidiarrheal effect study in NMRI mice. Sclerocaryabirrea and Psidiumguajava caused no mortality and no behavioral changes up to a dose of 5000 mg/kg body weight. The extracts of both plants were reported to be practically nontoxic. Diarrhea was censed induced by castor oil consumption, about 4 hours after oral administration in NMRI mice. Then 300, 500 and 800 mg/kg body weight of plant extract was given to animals. Sclerocaryabirrea extract induced an antidiarrheal protection of 40, 80 and 100% according to above respective used doses; these values are 60, 80 and 100% respectively with Psidiumguajava extract, in same conditions. A one dose test of 300 mg/kg body weight, Psidiumguajavaextract showed more antidiarrheal effect compared to Sclerocaryabirrea. Our work confirms the relevance in the traditional use of both plants in the treatment of diarrhea.