Central nervous system depressant effect of the fruits of Piper guineense

The central nervous system depressant effect of the butanol extract of the fruits of Piper guineense was pharmacologically screened by measuring the prolongation of barbiturate sleeping time. Nine rats (n=9) were used and assigned into three groups, with each group comprising of three rats (n=3). Group A served as the Control, while Groups B and C served as tests. Thiopentone sodium (40 mg/kg body weight) was administered subcutaneously to the rats in Group A, 2 mg/kg of the butanolic extract of the fruits of Piper guineense was administered subcutaneously to the rats in Test Group B, 30 minutes before administering same dose of thiopentone sodium, while rats in Group C received 4 mg/kg of the butanolic extract 30 minutes before administering same dose of thiopentone sodium. The sleeping time was recorded. Student-t-test at 5% significance level was used to analyze the results obtained. The mean barbiturate sleeping time prolongation of 53.67 minutes was produced by 2 mg/kg of the extract while a dose of 4 mg/kg produced mean barbiturate sleeping time prolongation of 103.67 minutes. This study suggests that the fruits of Piper guineense have central nervous system depressant effect.Keywords: Piper guineense, fruits, glycosidic constituents, central nervous system, depressantBiokemistri 28(1): 34–3

In vitro tocolytic effects of the glycosidic constituents of the fruits of Piper guineense

The tocolytic effect of the butanol fraction of the glycoside extract of the fruits of Piper guineense , was pharmacologically screened by measuring the uterine contractility. A state of oestrous was induced in three female rats through intramuscular injection of 0.1 \ub5g per 100 g body weight of stilboestrol. The animals were sacrificed; the two horns of the uterus were carefully dissected free of fat and connective tissues and divided into two pieces. Dose response curves were obtained using oxytocin alone, oxytocin plus butanolic fraction of the glycoside extract, and oxytocin plus salbutamol. Pretreatment of the uterine tissues with the glycoside extract or salbutamol resulted in inhibition of uterine contraction at low concentrations of oxytocin. The dose response curve of oxytocin inhibition by the glycoside extract is similar to that of salbutamol. This suggests that the bioactive component of the extract could be a competitive antagonist of oxytocin action

In vitro tocolytic effects of the glycosidic constituents of the fruits of Piper guineense

The tocolytic effect of the butanol fraction of the glycoside extract of the fruits of Piper guineense , was pharmacologically screened by measuring the uterine contractility. A state of oestrous was induced in three female rats through intramuscular injection of 0.1 µg per 100 g body weight of stilboestrol. The animals were sacrificed; the two horns of the uterus were carefully dissected free of fat and connective tissues and divided into two pieces. Dose response curves were obtained using oxytocin alone, oxytocin plus butanolic fraction of the glycoside extract, and oxytocin plus salbutamol. Pretreatment of the uterine tissues with the glycoside extract or salbutamol resulted in inhibition of uterine contraction at low concentrations of oxytocin. The dose response curve of oxytocin inhibition by the glycoside extract is similar to that of salbutamol. This suggests that the bioactive component of the extract could be a competitive antagonist of oxytocin action