Indian Gooseberry Limits Diarrhea

KARACHI, PakistanAn extract of Phyllanthus emblica, known as Indian Gooseberry, appears to inhibit diarrhea and curtail spasms by blocking muscarinic receptors and Ca(2+) channels, according to recent animal research conducted by scientists from the University of Karachi. They published their results online ahead of print in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

In vivo work showed a crude P. emblica extractwhich tested positive for alkaloids, tannins, terpenes, flavonoids, sterols and coumarinsinhibited castor oil-induced diarrhea and intestinal fluid accumulation in mice at 500 to 700mg/kg. In vitro work In isolated rabbit jejunum found the extract eased carbachol (CCh) and K(+) (80mM)-induced contractions, in a pattern similar to that of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) drug dicyclomine. In guinea pig ileum, a low dose of extract (0.3mg/mL) did not exhibit a beneficial effect on acetylcholine  factors in diarrhea, while a higher dose (1mg/mL) did s how a suppression of acetylcholine response similar to that achieved by dicyclomine. This result suggested an anti-cholinergic and Ca(2+) channel blocking (CCB)-like antispasmodic effect.