Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 4(3): 450-456, 2010 ISSN 1991-8178 Antidiarrhoeal and Antioxidant Properties of Curcuma alismatifolia Leaves Raushanara Akter, S.M. Raquibul Hasan, M. Mokarram Hossain, Mariam Jamila, 1 1 1 2 S. Sultana. Chowdhury, M.E.H. Mazumder, Shafiqur Rahman 1 3,4 5 Department of Pharmacy, Stamford University Bangladesh, Dhaka-1217, Bangladesh 1 Department of Pharmacy, Bangladesh University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh 2 Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh 3 Discipline of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Cumberland Campus, University of 4 Sydney, Australia. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, South Dakota State 5 University, Brookings, SD 57007,USA Abstract: Hydromethanol extract of Curcuma alimatifolia leaves was scientifically evaluated for its antidiarrhoeal and antioxidant properties. Antidiarrhoeal property was studied using castor oil and 4 MgSO -induced diarrhoeal models and charcoal induced gastrointestinal motility test in Swiss Albino mice. At the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg body weight, the extract displayed remarkable antidiarrhoeal activity, evidenced by a reduction in the rate of defecation as well as by retardation of intestinal transit of charcoal meal in test animals throughout the study period. In all of these experimental models the extract, at higher dose (500 mg/kg body weight), exhibited significant (p <0.05) antidiarrhoeal property compared to the control. Again, antioxidant potential of the extract was assessed using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging, total phenol and total flavonoid content determination assays. The extract displayed a dose dependent scavenging of DPPH radical and NO. Moreover, the extract was found to possess high amount of phenols and flavonoids, expressed as gallic acid and quercetin equivalents respectively. The results of the present study might indicate the usefulness of C. alismatifolia leaves in diarrhoeal disease and other disorders linked to free radical-mediated oxidative stress. Key words: Medicinal plant, Curcuma alismatifolia, antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal property. INTRODUCTION In developing countries, a majority of people living in rural areas almost exclusively use traditional medicine for treating diseases of different types including diarrhoea. Diarrhoea is a major health problem especially for children under the age of 5, and up to 17% of children admitted in the paediatrics ward die of diarrhoea. Worldwide distribution of diarrhoea accounts for more than 5-8 million deaths each year in infants and children below 5 years old especially in developing countries (Fauci et al., 1998). According to W.H.O. estimates for 1998, about 7.1 million deaths were caused by diarrhoea (Park et al., 2000). The incidence of diarrhoeal diseases still remains high despite the efforts of many governments and international organisations to curb it. It is therefore important to identify and evaluate available natural drugs as alternatives to currently used anti-diarrhoeal drugs, which are not always readily accessible and free from adverse effects (Hardman et al. , 1992). A range of medicinal plants with anti-diarrhoeal properties is widely used by traditional healers. However, the effectiveness of many of these antidiarrhoeal traditional medicines has not been validated scientifically. On the other hand it has been proposed that oxidative stress damage to cellular and extracellular macromolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids (Halliwell et al., 1999; Jones et al., 2000; Schafer and Buettner, 2001) results from the tipping of balance toward prooxidant status. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases (Ames et al., 1993; Weinbrenner et al., 2003) such as cancer and coronary heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders such as Corresponding Author: M.E.H. Mazumder, Discipline of Biomedical Science School of Medical Sciences Faculty of Medicine Cumberland Campus C4275 East St, Lidcombe NSW 1825 University of Sydney Phone: +61 2 935 19959 (Work); +61 02 80848245 (Home); 0423068236 (Mobile) E-mail: mhoq4440@mail.usyd.edu.au 450