Effect of laxative polyherbal paste for loperamide induced constipation in rats

Objective: The goal of this study was to find out if polyherbal paste (PHP) with Rosadamascena, Terminalia chebula, and Trachyspermumammi in honey could help rats that were constipated because of loperamide.

Methods: Thirty male rats were divided into 6 groups: a control group receiving saline, a model group receiving loperamide at 10 mg/kg and saline, a phenolphthalein group (positive control) receiving loperamide at 10 mg/kg and phenolphthalein at 10 mg/kg, and low (20 mg/kg), medium (40 mg/kg), and high (60 mg/kg) doses of PHP, via intragastric administration for 7 days. Various parameters, including food consumption, water consumption, body weight, fecal characteristics, gastrointestinal transit rate, histological changes, serum biomarkers, and aquaporin-3 (AQP3) and C-kit protein expression levels, were assessed.

Results: Administering PHP at a dose of 60 mg/kg resulted in a 16.89% increase in fecal water content, a 12.14% increase in the amount of feces, and a 23.67% increase in gastrointestinal transit rate, while also reducing the time to black stool and restoring appearance by 23.41%. At the 40 mg/kg dose, PHP increased motilin levels in the blood by 31.22%, gastrin by 52.78%, and substance P by 19.45% while decreasing somatostatin by 20.17%. Furthermore, at the 60 mg/kg dose, PHP decreased mucous membrane damage and goblet cell function in the colon, reduced AQP3 protein production by 33.39%, and increased c-kit protein production by 12.14%.

Conclusion: The PHP showed promising therapeutic potential for loperamide-induced constipation in rats.