Antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and toxic effects of the aqueous and methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of Cucumis dipsaceus (Ehrenb. Ex Spach.)

Abstract

Introduction: Cucumis dipsaceus is used to treat diarrhoea, microbial infections, among other diseases across the world; however, there is insufficient empirical data to validate its efficacy, toxicity, and safety. Accordingly, we investigated the antidiarrheal, antimicrobial, and toxic effects of the aqueous and methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of C. dipsaceus.Methods: Antidiarrheal activities of the aqueous and methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of C. dipsaceus were investigated using the castor oil-induced diarrhoea technique in a Wistar rat model. The disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods were adopted to determine the antimicrobial activities of the studied plant extracts. The acute oral toxicity effects of the studied plant extracts were investigated in Wistar rats according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines.Results: The aqueous and methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of C. dipsaceus significantly (P 6.00 mm) and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs <1000 μg/mL). Moreover, the studied extracts did not cause any observable acute oral toxicity effects in the experimental rats across the 14-day experimental period.Conclusion: The aqueous and methanolic leaf and fruit extracts of C. dipsaceus present a potential source of safe and efficacious lead compounds for developing antidiarrheal and antimicrobial therapies.

Keywords

• microbial infections
• diarrhoea
• acute oral toxicity
• phytomedicine