The effect of combined treatment of vitamin C and loperamide on intestinal sodium and potassium ion ATPase, alkaline phosphatase and lipid peroxidation on castor oil induced diarrheal rats.

BackgroundDiarrhea is distinguished by prevalence of bowel movement accompanied by a loose consistency of stools, resulting from hyper peristalsis of the small intestine or colon, Diarrhea is a major challenge among infants and growing children. The study was carried out to assess the result of combined treatment of vitamin C and loperamide on intestinal Na+, K+ - ATPase, alkaline phosphatase, and lipid peroxidation in castor oil induced diarrheal wistar rats. MethodA total of 18 wistar rats weighing 180-200g were randomly divided into 6 groups, (Group 1 Normal control no castor oil, no treatment administered, Group 2 Experimental control were given castor oil 3.0 ml/kg body weight with no treatment, Group 3 Standard control were given castor oil 3.0 ml/kg body weight + loperamide, Group 4 Treatment 1 were administered 3.0 ml/kg body weight + 25 mg/kg combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide, Group 5 Treatment 2 were administered 3.0 ml/kg body weight + 50 mg/kg combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide, and Group 6 were administered 3.0 ml/kg body weight + 100 mg/kg combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide) with 3 rats per group; the experiment lasted for 24 hours. The action of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, Na+, K+ - ATPase and malondialdehyde were determined. ResultDescriptive statistical analysis was adopted using SPSS version 20. Combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide significantly (p<0.05) lowered the elevated levels of malondialdehyde caused by castor oil induced diarrhea; the Na+, K+ - ATPase intestinal activity treatment with both vitamin C and loperamide significantly elevated the activity of Na+, K+ ATPase when compared with the normal control, but both treatments (loperamide alone and vitamin C plus loperamide were not significantly different (p<0.05) to themselves. However, at 50 mg/kg body weight of combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide it showed significant difference in the action of intestinal alkaline phosphatase. ConclusionFindings of this study therefore, indicate that a combined effect of loperamide and vitamin C will be an effective therapeutic agent in the management of diarrhea by scavenging of free radicals generated in the cause of diarrheal to reduce lipid peroxidation. Therefore, combined effect of vitamin C and loperamide should be encouraged in the management of diarrhea. Further research should be directed towards assessing the therapeutic action of vitamin C only in the management of diarrhea.