Background and Objective: Diarrhea is a condition of the bowel, consisting of frequent watery stool. Various treatments have been employed in treating this condition but pose certain side effects. This study was designed to investigate and compare the anti-diarrhea potencies of coconut water and palm kernel oil. Materials and Methods: Albino rats (42) were used for this study. They were divided into 2 groups of 21 rats each, then a sub-group of 7 with 3 rats each. All rats were allowed to acclimatize for 14 days with access to food and water ad libitum. Group A rats were the castor oil-induced diarrhea test group while group B was the gastrointestinal testing group. After the experimental procedures, the rats were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for serum electrolyte analysis. Small intestines were identified and the total length of intestines and distance travelled by charcoal meal were measured for calculation of intestinal propulsion. Results: The results obtained showed that treatment with coconut water and kernel oil reduced the frequency and subsequently the soft and watery consistency of the stool significantly at p<0.05. Coconut water and palm kernel oil stimulated a significant reduction at p<0.05 in the propulsion of the charcoal meal at both concentrations. Coconut water and palm kernel oil inhibited diarrhea by reducing stool frequency and inhibited intestinal propulsion as well as electrolyte loss. Conclusion: The results obtained suggested that coconut water restored lost electrolytes during diarrhea, whereas palm kernel oil at low doses showed the potency of curbing diarrhea.
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