Differential effects of ethanol and DMSO on forskolin induced diarrhea model in Ussing chamber studies

Abstract

Solvents used to study antisecretory effect of plant extracts should have minimum effect on electrolyte loss and tissue integrity measured during secretory diarrhea. Ussing chamber technique, an in vitro model is used to determine changes in conductance (G), a measure of tissue integrity and electrogenic anion secretion measured as short circuit current (I_sc) induced by forskolin in the presence of ethanol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Ethanol and DMSO were used as they are considered as superior solvents in biological studies. Ethanol was shown to have minimum effect on I_sc and conductance when compared to DMSO. Thus, ethanol can be used as a superior solvent while studying plant extracts with anti-secretory effect.