Title : In vitro assessment of antidiarrheic properties of root fractions of chrysophyllum albidum root extract
Abstract:
Diarrheal disease is the third leading cause of infant and child mortality in developing countries. The prevalence rate of childhood diarrhea in Nigeria is 18.8% and is a menace in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, this study assessed antidiarrheic potentials of root fractions (n-butanol, aqueous and ethyl acetate) of Chrysophyllum albidum and their ability to compromise the integrity of microbial cytoplasmic membrane. The antidiarrheic potentials were evaluated via sensitivity test, Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs), Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBCs) and time kill kinetics of potent fractions. Microbial cytoplasmic membrane disruption was evaluated by the amount of potassium ions and nucleotides released from Escherichia coli as representative isolates after 120 minutes of treatment with the fractions using atomic absorption spectrophotometer and Ultraviolet spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer Lambda 35) at 260nm wavelength. The zones of inhibition expressed by the potent fractions at 10 mg/mL ranged between 10±0.94 and 24±0.00. The standard antibiotics showed inhibition zones that ranged between 9±0.47 and 27±0.00 at 1 mg/mL. The range of MICs by the potent fractions was 0.31 mg/mL and 5 mg/mL while the MBCs of potent fractions was 0.63 mg/mL and 10 mg/L. This finding showed a relationship between the amount of cellular constituents leaked out of Escherichia coli as representative organism and the percentage of cells killed with an increase in contact time and concentrations of the fractions. At 3 x MIC after 120 min contact time, 100% mortality was achieved by the n-butanol fraction against test cells while 2.83 and 0.93 µg/mL of potassium ions and nucleotides were leaked from the test cells at the same concentration respectively. This finding validated the use of the plant by the people of Sub-Saharan Africa as antidiarrheal agent.
