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Studies on the antidiarrhoeal effect of dragon's blood from Croton urucurana
Author(s) -
Gurgel Luilma A.,
Silva Regilane M.,
Santos Flavia A.,
Martins Domingos T. O.,
Mattos Paulo O.,
Rao Vietla S. N.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.728
Subject(s) - antidiarrhoeal , croton , cholera , euphorbiaceae , cholera toxin , croton oil , castor oil , toxin , traditional medicine , oral administration , pharmacognosy , pharmacology , bark (sound) , medicine , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , biological activity , botany , biochemistry , inflammation , in vitro , ecology
The red sap obtained by slashing the bark of Croton urucurana Baill. (Euphorbiaceae), also known as dragon's blood, was screened for a possible antidiarrhoeal activity on castor oil‐induced diarrhoea in rats, cholera toxin‐induced intestinal secretion in mice and on small intestinal transit in mice. Dragon's blood at an oral dose of 600 mg/kg caused in marked inhibition of the diarrhoeal response following castor oil administration as well as the intestinal fluid accumulation promoted by cholera toxin. At a similar dose the red sap significantly inhibited the small intestinal transit which was, however, found to be independent of the opioid mechanism. These results suggest a potential usefulness of the red sap from Croton urucurana Baill. in the control of secretory diarrhoea associated pathologies. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.