Anti-Diarrhoeic and antibacterial Effects of Aqueous Pod Extract of Acacia nilotica in Albino Rats

The anti-diarrhoea effect of aqueous pod extract of Acacia nilotica was investigated in rats. The pod extract of A. nilotica was obtained by Soxhlet extraction using distilled water as a solvent and subjected to phytochemical screening. The result of phytochemical screening revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, and reducing sugars. The elemental analysis of the extract revealed high concentration of sodium followed by magnesium, iron, cadmium, zinc, manganese and potassium. The aqueous extract significantly (P<0.05) reduced the number of unformed faeces in castor oil induced diarrhoea in rats. It also significantly (P<0.05) reduced the gastrointestinal transit of activated charcoal. Enteropooling in the experimental rats was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced. The in vitro antibacterial and fungal study showed that the extract inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Shigella dysentery, E. coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aerogenosa, Salmonella typhi, and Bacillus albus, as well as Candida albicans. The aqueous pod extract was therefore found to possess active antdiarrhoeic, antibacterial and mycostatic ingredients.