Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Pharmacological basis for medicinal use of Ziziphyus nummularia (Rhamnaceae) leaves in gastrointestinal disorders

Sayed Muzahir Hussain¹, Aslam Khan² , Arif-ullah Khan¹, Neelum Gui Qazi¹, Fawad Ali^1,3

¹Department of Pharmacology, Riphah Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan; ²Basic Sciences Department, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; ³Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Aslam Khan Email: khanasl@ksau-hs.edu.sa

Accepted: 9 September 2017 Published: 31 October 2017

Citation: Hussain SM, Khan A, Khan A, Qazi NG, Ali F. Pharmacological basis for medicinal use of Ziziphyus nummularia (Rhamnaceae) leaves in gastrointestinal disorders. Trop J Pharm Res 2017; 16(10):2379-2385 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v16i10.10

© 2017 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To explore the pharmacological basis for the folkloric use of Ziziphus nummularia for treating diarrhea and gastrointestinal spasm.

Methods: Ziziphus nummularia crude extract (Zn.Cr) was investigated for antidiarrheal activity (50, 100 and 300 mg/kg) in terms of reduction diarrhea droppings as well as for antisecretory activity (300 and 1000 mg/kg) in castor-oil induced model in mice. The effect of the extract on potassium chloride (KCl, 80 mM)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit jejunum tissues were was also examined. Furthermore, the antiulcer properties of the extract was assessed in an ethanol-induced gastrointestinal ulcer model.

Results: Zn.Cr (50 – 1000 mg/kg) exhibited protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhea (p < 0.05, p < 0.01 vs saline group) and intestinal fluid accumulation (p < 0.001 vs. castor oil group) in mice. In isolated rabbit jejunum model, Zn.Cr concentration-dependently (0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1 and 3 mg/mL) caused relaxation of spontaneous and KCl-induced contractions, similar to verapamil. Calcium antagonistic effect was indicated, as pretreatment of intestinal tissues with Zn.Cr (0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL) produced a rightward shift in Ca²⁺ concentration-response curves, with suppression of maximum contraction. In ethanol-induced gastric ulceration assay, Zn.Cr (300 and 1000 mg/kg) caused 52.5 and 93.6 % inhibition, respectively (p < 0.001 vs. saline group).

Conclusion: These results reveal that Ziziphus nummularia possesses anti-diarrheal, anti-secretory, anti-spasmodic and anti-ulcer actions, mediated possibly through voltage-gated Ca2+channel blockade

Keywords: Ziziphus nummularia, Anti-diarrheal, Anti-secretory, Anti-spasmodic, Anti-ulcer