ABSTRACT

In this study, evaluation of the antidiarrhoeal effect of aqueous fruit extract of Phoenix

dactylifera L. on the histology of the small intestine of Wistar rat, a preliminary

phytochemical screening of the aqueous fruit extract of Phoenix dactylifera (AEPD)

revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and carbohydrates. Oral

acute toxicity study (LD50) of the extract was conducted and found to be greater than

5000mg/ kg in Wistar rats. The antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract was evaluated on

castor oil induced diarrhoea, gastrointestinal transit and enteropooling in Wistar rats. In the

castor oil induced diarrhoeal study, the following experiments were conducted –

determination of standard drug (loperamide) antidiarrhoeal dose between the doses of

3mg/kg and 5mg/kg loperamide in Wistar rats; antidiarrhoeal activity of the extract in

prophylactic and therapeutic administrations in Wistar rats; antidiarrhoeal activity of the

combined administration of extract and loperamide in prophylactic and therapeutic

administrations in Wistar rats. In the extract prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, the

Wistar rats were divided into four (5) groups (n= 5), group 1 served as the control; group 2

was administered loperamide (5mg/kg) as standard drug; groups 3 and 4 administered

AEPD (1000mg/kg and 2000mg/kg respectively). In the combined administration

prophylactic and therapeutic treatments, the Wistar rats were divided into four (4) groups

(n= 5), group 1 served as the control; group 2 was administered loperamide (5mg/kg);

groups 3 and 4 were administered 1000mg/kg AEPD + 5mg/kg loperamide and 2000mg/kg

AEPD + 5mg/kg loperamide respectively. In the gastrointestinal transit and enteropooling

studies, the Wistar rats were divided into four (4) groups (n= 5), group 1 served as control,

groups 2 and 3 served as extract low and high dose; administered AEPD (1000mg/kg and

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