Biological screening of traditional preparations from some medicinal plants used as antidiarrhoeal in Kinshasa, Congo

Forty six aqueous extracts from 38 medicinal plant species belonging to dif ferent families were selected on the basis of their traditional medicinal u se as antidiarrhoeic agents. They were submitted in a broad biological scre ening including antibacterial, antiamoebic and antispasmodic activities. Th e results of the testing have indicated that 37 extracts (80.43%), 33 (71.7 4%) and 32 (69.54%) exhibited some level of antibacterial, antiamoebic and antispasmodic activity respectively. Only 8 plant extracts (17.39%) would a ct as antidiarrhoeic agents by a triple pronounced antibacterial, antiamoeb ic and antispasmodic action. They include aqueous extracts from Euphorbia h irta whole plant, leaves of Psidium guajava and Tithonia diversifolia, root bark of Alchornea cordifolia, heinsia pulchella, Paropsia brazzeana, Rauwo lfia obscura and Voacanga africana.