Investigation of antidiarrheal and hypoglycemic activities of clerodendrum viscosum root extract in mice

Abstract

Clerodendrum viscosum is broadly distributed all through tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The leaves of the plant have been broadly utilized as antidandruff, ascaricide, antipyretic, vermifuge, purgative. Leaves are also utilized in chest with cough problems and troublesome expectoration. Here in we report the antidiarrheal and hypoglycemic activities of the methanolic root extract of Clerodendrum viscosum for the first time. In this study, the preliminary phytochemical screening of methanolic root extracts of Clerodendrum viscosum showed the presence of flavonoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, tannin, steroids, glycosides and coumarins. Loperamide HCl was used as the reference standard. Reduction of diarrheal feces in mice was observed by 45.4% and 63.4% at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively in comparison to Loperamide (78.1%). The methanolic root extracts of the plant showed strong antidiarrheal activity in castor oil induced diarrhea in mice. In the determination of hypoglycaemic activity, glibenclamide was used as the standard drug. Reduction of blood glucose level was observed by 23.8% and 27.3% at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight, respectively in comparison to glibenclamide (39.3%). The above results estimated strong hypoglycaemic activity. Thus, it can be said that the root of Clerodendrum viscosum is a potential source of drugs for antidiarrheal and antidiabetic activity.