Antidiarrhoeal activity of chromatographic fractions of Stereospermum kunthianum Cham Sandrine Petit (Bignoniaceae) stem bark.

Purpose: The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate the antidiarrhoeal activity of three chromatographic fractions (L, S and Y) of Stereospermum kunthianum stem bark in mice. Methods: Vacuum liquid/column chromatography (VLC/ CC) were used to obtain three fractions (L,S and Y) of Stereospermum kunthianum stem bark fractions. The antidiarrhoeal activities of these fractions at doses ranging from 100 – 400 mg/kg were evaluated in diarrhoea episodes induced by castor oil in mice. The controls were given distilled water (10 ml/kg) while 10 mg/kg of morphine was used as the reference drug (positive control). Results: Pretreatment of mice with 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of fraction L significantly (p number of stools as well as the total weight of wet and total weight of stools, compared to the distilled water-treated mice. Fraction Y at the three doses significantly delayed the onset of diarrhoea in the treated mice. Conclusion: Vacuum liquid/column chromatography (VLC/CC) derived fractions L, S and Y of Stereospermum kunthianum possessed antidiarrhoeal activity but to varying degrees. This study lends further credence to the ethnomedicinal use of the plant for the treatment of diarrhoea. Keywords: Antidiarrhoeal activity, chromatographic fractions, Stereospermum kunthianum, stools