Protective effect of Aegle marmelos fruit in gastrointestinal dysfunction in rats

The effect of the ethanol extract of the unriped fruits of Aegle marmelos Correa was assessed on experimentally induced diarrhoea and gastric ulceration in rats. The extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) exhibited a dose-dependent decrease in the intestinal propulsion from 61.79-39.32% which is equivalent to 38.21-60.68% intestinal propulsion inhibition (control 58.3 +/- 3.4 inhibition, P < 0.5 to P < 0.001) and caused a dose-dependent decrease in the total number of faecal matter in castor oil-induced diarrhoea (control 70, reduced to 51 and 42 at 100 and 200 mg/kg extract, p.o.). Further, yohimbine, a alpha(2) adrenoreceptor blocker, attenuated the antidiarrhoeal effect of the extract in a dose of 200 mg/kg to 17.14%, and diphenoxylate by 74.28%. The extract also reduced the ulcer index induced by ethanol (control 18.7 +/- 4.4, 34.22-72.73% protection), aspirin (control 22.6 +/- 3.4, 36.73-81.42% protection) and cold restraint stress (control 23.8 +/- 3.2, 56.72% and 81.51% protection). Further study on tissue lipid peroxidation was significantly increased (P < 0.001) as evidenced by accumulation of malondialdehyde in cold restraint stress ulcers. Administration of A. marmelos (100 and 200 mg/kg), cimetidine 50 mg/kg and reduced glutathione (150 mg/kg) prior to cold restraint stress causes significant decrease in ulcer index and lipid peroxidation (P < 0.01 to P < 0.001). The result showed that A. marmelos had significant antidiarrhoeal and ulcer protective activity by scavenging the reactive oxygen species on the cold restraint stress-induced gastric damage.