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 , , and 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.