Can seeds of joannesia princeps improve intestinal motility in loperamide-induced constipation in rats?

Constipation may be considered a public health problem leading to harmful interference on the quality of life. Its prevalence varies from 0.7% to 81% worldwide and may affect adults and children. It is usually treated with laxative drugs. Joannesia princeps is a plant used in popular medicine as a laxative. This work aims to evaluate the potential of J. princeps in reversing the constipation effects produced by loperamide. Animals were divided in Group 1 (Control group that received propylene glycol), Group 2 (treated with J. princeps), Group 3 (treated with loperamide), and Group 4 (treated with J. princeps and loperamide). After 30 minutes, all groups were gavage-fed with activated charcoal. Thirty minutes later, the rats were euthanized with thiopental. After confirmation of death, the intestines were removed along with the stomach, and the length and the distance covered by the activated charcoal was measured. Our results showed that the distance covered by the activated charcoal from the pylorus to the beginning of the caecum was higher in the group treated with J. princeps showing that this plant may revert the constipation pattern produced by loperamide. For these reasons we may suggest that J. princeps seeds could be an alternative treatment for opioid-induced constipation in Wistar rats. Nevertheless, other studies with humans are necessary to evaluate the doses that are required, possible side effects and the effectiveness of the treatment with this plant in constipation opioid-induced.