Correspondence
G. Hari Jagannadha Rao M.D.,
Associate Professor, Dept of Pharmacology,
NRI Medical College, Chinakakani,
Mangalagiri Mandal, Guntur Dt., India.
PIN - 522503
Phone: 9440434207
E mail: drhjrao@yahoo.co.in

Purpose: The plant, Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Laureceae), is a small, ever green plant which is native to southern India and it has been reported to possess a number of medicinal properties. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the anti-diarrhoeal activity of the aqueous extract of the bark of Cinnamomum zeylanicum which is used traditionally as folk medicine, by using a castor oil and MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulphate) induced diarrhoea model.

Methods: The aqueous extract of the bark of this plant at graded doses (100mg/kg, 200mg/kg body weight) was investigated for its anti-diarrhoeal activity in terms of the reduction in the rate of defaecation and the consistency of faeces in castor oil, Mgso4 induced diarrhoea. To understand the mechanism of its anti-diarrhoeal activity, its effect was further evaluated on the gastro-intestinal transit time with charcoal meal.

Results: The bark extract showed significant (p<0.05) inhibitory activity against castor oil and Mgso4 induced diarrhoea. There was a significant reduction in the gastro-intestinal motility which was observed by using the charcoal meal test in mice.

Conclusion: The results which were obtained in this study substantiated the anti-diarrhoeal effects of the aqueous extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Linn and its use by the traditional practitioners in the treatment of diarrhoea.

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