The concentrations MDV3100 solubility dmso of sodium and potassium ions were determined by the method of.11 The data obtained from the laboratory results of the tests were
subjected to One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were observed at p ≤ 0.05. The results were expressed as means of five replicates ± standard deviations (SD). This analysis was done using the computer software known as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 16. The qualitative phytochemical analyses showed, the presence of saponins in very high concentration in both fractions of the chloroform–methanol extract of the leaves of P. americana ( Table 1). Flavonoids were found to be present in very high concentration GDC-0449 in vitro and moderately high concentration in the chloroform and the methanol fractions respectively. Tannins, terpenoids and steroids were found to be present in moderately high concentrations in both fractions
as shown in Table 1. The phytochemical constituents of the chloroform and the methanol fractions of the chloroform–methanol extract of the leaves of P. americana are summarised in Table 2. The chloroform fraction of the extract contained higher percentages of alkaloids (2.67 ± 0.13%), flavonoids (3.20 ± 0.17%) and steroids (1.36 ± 0.04%) than the methanol fraction while the methanol fraction contained higher percentages of saponins (2.23 ± 0.09%) and tannins (2.73 ± 0.13%) than the chloroform fraction ( Table 2). The charcoal meal (gastro-intestinal motility) test was used to determine the propulsive movement along the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) of rats. As shown in Fig. 1, the methanol and the chloroform fractions of the extract at the tested doses (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of each) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the percentage distance travelled by the charcoal meal along the gastro-intestinal tract of rats in groups 4, 5, 6 and 7 when compared to PAK6 the value obtained for rats in the charcoal meal-treated control
group (group 2). The observed effects were dose-dependent with percentage distance travelled by charcoal meal as 62.25 ± 4.57, 57.25 ± 1.50, 58.25 ± 2.22 and 35.25 ± 2.36 for rats in the 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of the methanol fraction-treated groups (groups 4 and 5), 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of the chloroform fraction-treated groups (groups 6 and 7) respectively when compared to the value (70.25 ± 3.30) obtained for rats in the charcoal meal-treated control group (group 2). The effects of the methanol and the chloroform fractions of the extract at the tested doses were comparable to that of the standard anti-diarrhoeal agent (hyoscine butylbromide) as shown in Fig. 1. Result of the intestinal fluid sodium ion concentration test as shown in Fig. 2, shows that the rats of the castor oil-treated control group (group 2) had significantly (p < 0.05) increased intestinal fluid sodium ion concentration (227.00 ± 3.46) when compared to the value (192.75 ± 11.