Anti-hemorrhoid Evaluation of Selected Medicinal Plants Used in Bali North-East Nigeria for the Treatment of Hemorrhoids (Pile)

Abstract

A medicinal plant is any plant in which one or more of its organs contain substances that can be used for therapeutic purpose or which are precursors for the synthesis of useful drugs. In this research, six (6) selected plants were screened for antihemorrhoid activities in mice. The extracts were obtained from whole plant or parts of plants such as root, stem, leaves and seeds and include the following plants: Khaya senegalensis, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Parkia biglobosa, Newbouldia leavis and Prosopis africana. Hemorrhoid (pile) was induced in a group of five mice of five animals per group using Jatropha oil (Jatropha curcas, Euphorbiaceae)(I.P) and using Pilex granule as the control drug. Group I received 10 mg/kg Pilex granule, and 100, 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg b.w of  A. leiocarpus, N. leavis, P. africana, and KEP for groups II, III, IV and V respectively. A. leiocarpus and KEP (mixture of K. senegalensis, E. hirta and P. africana) showed the highest antihemorrhoidal activities in mice than the other plants and compared with the standard drug Pilex granule. However, all the plant extracts showed significant recto - anal coefficient at potent levels. The study showed that the extracts of the plants investigated possessed antihemorrhoid activities with A. leiocarpus and KEP demonstrating the highest activity in mice.