Fermented polyherbal formulation restored ricinoleic acid induced diarrhea in Sprague Dawley rats and exhibited in vitro antibacterial effect on multiple antibiotics resistant gastric pathogens

The involvement of multiple antibiotics resistant gastric pathogens in diarrhea aggravates the disease condition uncontrollably. Current study was aimed at finding and developing a suitable formulation utilizing multiple natural components from known plant sources to augment current therapeutic outcomes. Hydro-ethanolic extraction method was applied through boiling and fermentation, on ancient observation based efficacious plant parts for developing antidiarrheal polyherbal formulation AP-01. Animal study model of diarrhea was used to evaluate safety and efficacy of the formulation. The formulation was tested in vitro on four different multiple antibiotics resistant gastric pathogens collected from national repository. The formulation depicted no cytotoxicity on normal gut cells and was efficacious at 10 ml/Kg single dose in relieving symptoms of diarrhea by 79.71%, in comparison with standard drug showing reduction of symptoms by 83.01%. AP-01 exhibited delaying the gastric motility. Symptoms of diarrhea ceased to occur within 321 minutes with AP-01, where the standard drug took 308 minutes. AP-01 was found successful at a viable dosage regimen of 75 to 100 microliter per ml, in inhibiting growth of different pathogens from Enterobacteriaceae family possessing resistance against several classes of antibiotics, in culture media. Chemical analysis revealed different alkaloids, flavonoids and polyphenols those probably work in unison through multiplex modes of action to arrest diarrhea and inhibit pathogens at the same time. These promising results shown by AP-01 should definitely evoke an effort to dive deep into research and development for better therapeutic formulations for infectious diarrhea by harvesting the arsenal of nature. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.