Research Journal of Pharmacognosy (RJP) 3(2), 2016: 33-40 Received: Sep 2015 Accepted: Nov 2015 Original article Anti-diarrheal and hypoglycemic activities of methanol extract of Calamus rotang L. seed in rat F.A. Ripa*, P.R. Dash, A.K. Podder Department of Pharmacy, BRAC University, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Abstract Background and objectives: Calamus rotang is used in traditional medicine. Regarding the previous phytochemical screening of methanol extract of Calamus rotang L. fruits (MCR), this study was performed to find out the antidiarrheal and hypoglycemic effects of the experimented extract in rodents. Methods: Castor oil induced diarrheal test was followed for screening anti-diarrheal effect of MCR. In order to explore the hypoglycemic effect, normoglycemic study, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and study on alloxan-induced diabetic rats were carried out. In each experiment, 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight doses of MCR were used. Results: The plant extract showed pronounced, significant (p < 0.01) antidiarrheal activity on both doses in a dose-dependent manner. At higher dose, MCR showed almost similar antidiarrheal effect as standard loperamide. In case of normoglycemic test, a single dose of MCR caused a significant (p<0.01) reduction in blood glucose level over time compared to the control group. Although metformin reduced blood glucose more rapidly than MCR at both doses, its extent of reduction in blood glucose level was approximately the same as high dose. In OGTT, MCR was active and comparable to that of the glucose treated control group in both doses. For alloxan induced diabetic rodents, the study revealed that the MCR extracts could decrease the blood glucose level in both doses over a period of three days. Conclusion: Considering the results of the present study, further isolation of active components and establishment of the mechanism of action have to be continued in the future. Keywords: alloxane, antidiarrheal effect, Calamus rotang, diabetes, hypoglycemic effect Introduction Utilization of medicinal herbs is terrifically [3,4]. Herb-based natural ingredients can be mounting over the past decade as an option to obtained from any part of the plant like bark, develop the excellence of life and sustain an leaves, flowers, roots, fruits, seeds, etc [5]. Since excellent health. Medicinal plants have been medicinal plants are believed to be an important consumed for centuries as medications for human resource of novel chemical substances with diseases [1,2]. In recent times, there has been potential remedial effects [6], they are used in budding attention in exploiting the biological Bangladesh for medical practice for the treatment activities of flora and fauna due to their natural of various diseases [7]. In fact for centuries in source, cost effectiveness and minor side effects many cultures all over the world, plants have © Available at: http://rjpharmacognosy.ir Copy right 2014 by the Iranian Society of Pharmacognosy *Corresponding author: [email protected], Tel: +8802-8912144, Fax: +8801-726216153 Ripa F.A. et al. been used in different diseases and should be areas. Hence, there is a requirement to search for considered as new sources of diarrheal and new-fangled and reasonably priced remedies for hypoglycemic therapeutic agents. Calamus diabetes. Lately, the search for antidiabetic rotang L. (rattan palm or climbing palm), is a agents has been focused on herbs because of their common growing shrub in Bangladesh. Calamus availability, affordability, and efficacy and also rotang is a common growing shrub in maybe due to their little side effects. However, Bangladesh which belongs to the family few of these plants have received scientific or Arecaceae. It is a native plant of south-west Asia. medical inspection and World Health The basal part of the plant grows vertically for Organization has suggested further assessment of ten meters and horizontally for about two traditional plants used for the management of hundred meters or more. Fruits can be consumed diabetes [18]. fresh or prepared into pickles and eaten with The previous researches and phytochemical food. Tribal people use its tender shoots as screening of the seed of C. rotang has inspired us antihelminthic agent [8]. The leaf sap is used for to find antidiarrheal and hypoglycemic effects of treating eye problems [9]. A saponin in the stem, its methanol extract in rat. an alkaloid in the leaves and a flavonoid in the root have been isolated from C. rotang which are Experimental used in convulsions and cramps [10]. Plant material Diarrhea ranks second to respiratory diseases as In this work, the fresh fruits of C. rotang were the cause of non-surgical pediatric admission and collected from, Chittagong, Bangladesh in July, causes one fourth of the avoidable deaths in 2014. The collected plant was then identified by hospitalized children It is one of the leading the taxonomist of Bangladesh National causes of morbidity and mortality in all age Herbarium, Mirpur, Dhaka and a voucher groups, particularly in infants and children under specimen has been deposited (DACB: 36,704) for the age of three [11,12]. The leaves of C. rotang further reference. From the collected fruits, seeds are used in traditional medicine to treat were separated and dried for one week and diarrhea[11,12]. pulverized into a coarse powder with a suitable Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic grinder. The powder was stored in an airtight disorders resulting from defects in insulin container, and was kept in a cool, dark and dry secretion and/or reduced sensitivity of the tissues place for further analysis. to insulin [13]. It is characterized through the chronic high blood glucose which causes the Preparation of methanol extract of the plant glycation of body protein and thus could lead to seeds severe complications [14]. The number of people 500 g dried powder was soaked in 500 mL of suffering from this disease is growing globally at 95% methanol for 7 days in cold condition with a frightening speed. Drugs such as biguanides, occasional shaking and stirring. The whole sulphonylureas and insulin have been engaged mixture was successively filtered through a piece for the dealing of diabetes; however nothing has of clean, white cotton material and No. 1 been able to heal the ailment [15,16]. Whatman filter paper. The methanol portion of Furthermore, detrimental effects such as the seed delivered a reddish brown gummy hypoglycaemia, anorexia nervosa, brain atrophy precipitate which was designated as MCR. The and fatty liver happen during the ingestion of oral extract was transferred to a closed container for synthetic hypoglycaemic drugs [17]. Inferior still, further use. the cost of these medicaments is away from the reach of individuals in the squat earning group Chemicals and particularly those living in the countryside Alloxan (Fluka, Germany), Tween-80, castor oil 34 RJP 3(2), 2016: 33-40 Anti-diarrheal and hypoglycemic activities of Calamus rotang (BDH Chemicals, UK), normal saline solution Group-I (control) received only normal saline (5 (Beximco Infusion Ltd., Bangladesh), metformin mL/kg bodyweight), while Group-II received the and loperamide (Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd., standard drug, loperamide (3 mg/kg body Bangladesh) were procured and used in the weight). Group-III and IV received experimented experiment. All chemicals in this investigation extract which was administered orally at doses of were of analytical grade. 250, and 500 mg/kg body weight, respectively. After one hour, diarrhoea was induced in each Phytochemical analysis animal by oral administration of 1 mL castor oil The MCR extract was subjected to qualitative by gavage. The animals were kept in separate chemical screening for the identification of metabolic cages to evaluate faecal matter bioactive constituents (tannins, alkaloids, consistency and frequency of defecation for 4 h. flavonoids and saponin) using standard Faeces were collected on an absorbent sheet of procedures [19]. paper placed below the cages. The total number of diarrheal faeces expelled was compared with Animals the control group. The total score of diarrheal Young Long-Evans rats of either sex weighing faeces for the control group was considered as about 80-120 g were used to conduct the research 100%. The results were expressed as a and were housed in stainless steel cages (34 cm × percentage of inhibition of diarrhoea. The percent 47 cm × 18 cm) with soft wood shavings as (%) inhibition of defecation was calculated using bedding. The rats were procured from the Animal the subsequent formula. Research Branch of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh % Inhibition of defecation = [(A - B) / A] × 100 (ICDDRB). They were kept in standard environmental condition (at 24.0±0 °C A=Mean number of defecation produced by temperature, 55-65% relative humidity and 12 castor oil hours light/dark cycle) for two weeks for B=Mean number of defecation produced by drug acclimation and fed ICDDRB formulated rodent or extract food and tap water ad libitum. All animals were fasted over night before tests while providing tap Hypoglycemic study water ad libitum. The equipment usage and Effect of methanol extracts in normoglycemic handling of the animals were performed in rats accordance with the European Council legislation The rats were divided into four groups of 6 87/609/EEC for the protection of experimental animals each. Group I served as control and animals [20]. The protocols for the study were received normal saline, group II served as approved by the Depart-mental Ethics standard control, taking metformin in the vehicle Committee. The set of rules followed for animal (110mg/kg/p.o.). Group III and IV received 250 experiment were approved by the institutional and 500 mg/kg MCR orally, respectively. Blood animal ethical committee [21] glucose levels were determined at 0, 1, and 2 hr following treatment from withdrawing blood Antidiarrheal test from tail vein.