ABSTRACT

Exploration on therapeutic screening of Pteridophytes is comparatively scanty. Drynaria quercifolia (Linn.) J. Smith (family: Polypodiaceae), a newly reported pteridophyte from South Odisha, is an important herbal of antidiarrheal potential used extensively as a folk remedy in Ganjam- Gajapati districts of South Odisha (India). The study was aimed to scientifically validate the folklore therapeutic claim of antidiarrheal potential of its methanolic rhizome extract. The antidiarrheal activity of methanolic extract of the rhizome was evaluated in live system of castor oil induced diarrhea, along with gastrointestinal motility, enteropooling in albino rats. The methanolic rhizome extract (MEDQ) was given to the animals orally at the doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight. Loperamide was used as standard antidiarrheal agent. Oral administration of MEDQ in 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) showed a significant dose dependent inhibitory activity (p<0.05) against the castor oil induced diarrhea, gastrointestinal motility in charcoal meal test and enteropooling in albino rats.The severity of diarrhea was reduced to 54.21% and 74.94% at the dose level of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight respectively; whereas, 75.99% inhibition was found for standard drug Loperamide (5 mg/kg). Castor oil-induced GIT motility was significantly (p<0.05) reduced to 42.79% and 65.05%; whereas castor oil-induced enteropooling was found to be reduced to 55.79% and 67.39% at 100 and 200 mg/kg BW dose of MEDQ, respectively. The folklore claim of the plant as an antidiarrheal agent was scientifically validated. The tested extract with their various Phyto-constituents render antidiarrheal property through hindering and ⁄or controlling with varied causes of diarrhea and this fact is in conformity with the traditional claim was established.

Keywords: Drynaria quercifolia (Linn.) J. Smith, Antidiarrheal, Loperamide, Castor oil, Intestinal motility, Enteropooling.