Relaxant Activity of the Methanol Extract of Acanthus Montanus (Nees) T Anderson (Acanthaceae) on Isolated Guinea Pig Trachea

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of the methanol extract of Acanthus montanus on guinea pig trachealis muscle.Methods: Guinea pig tracheae were set up in 10 ml organ baths. The effect of the methanol extract of Acanthus montanus (0.5 - 8 mg/ml) on the spontaneous tone of the trachea and carbacholprecontracted trachea in the absence and presence of propranolol, glibenclamide and procaine wasstudied.Results: The extract (0.5 ¡V 8.0 mg/ml) produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the intrinsic tone in tracheal preparations which was completely blocked by propranolol (3 x 10-7 M), glibenclamide(10-7 M) and procaine (10-3 M). The extract (0.5 - 8 mg/ml) produced a concentration-dependent relaxation of carbachol (10-5M)-precontracted trachea. This effect of the extract was partially blocked by propranolol (3 x 10-7M), procaine (10-3M) and glibenclamide (10-7M) with a progressive increase in the median effective concentration (EC50) values as follows: control, 0.66mg/ml > propranolol, 1.42mg/ml > glibenclamide, 1.54mg/ml > procaine, 2.04 mg/ml.Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the extract produces a non-specific smooth muscle relaxant effect mediated via ƒÒ-adrenergic receptor mechanism or potassium channels.Keywords: Acanthus montanus, Trachea, Carbachol, Potassium channels, Propranolol, Glibenclamide, Procaine

Antipyretic and Analgesic Effects of the Aqueous Extract of the Fruit Pulp of Hunteria umbellata K Schum (Apocynaceae)

Purpose: The aqueous fruit pulp extract of Hunteria umbellata K. Schum is used traditionally for the treatment of various fevers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extract for antipyretic and analgesic activity, and determine its probable mechanism of action.Methods: Pyrexia was induced in rabbits by intravenous injection of 105 CFU of E. coli/kg. Rectal temperature was monitored at 30, 60, and 90 min post-administration of 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extract. The analgesic effect of the extract was evaluated using acetic acid-induced mouse writhing test.  The extract was tested for antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Escherichia coli, and Psuedomonas aeruginosa using agar diffusion method. Phytochemical screening of the plant extract was also carried out.Results: Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of simple sugars, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and steroidal compounds. The extract (250, 500 mg/kg) and aspirin produced comparable antipyretic effects up to 60 min. The extract did not inhibit the growth of the microorganisms butsignificantly reduced the number of writhes in mice at 250 and 500 mg/kg with results comparable to ASA.Conclusion: The extract possesses antipyretic and analgesic activities which validate its use in the treatment of pains and fevers

Antidiarrhoeal activities of aqueous extract of Stereospermum kunthianum (Cham, Sandrine Petit) stem bark in rodents

The antidiarrhoeal effect of the aqueous extract of Stereospermum kunthianum (Cham, Sandrine Petit) stem bark was investigated in in vivo experimentally-induced diarrhoeal models using mice and rats.The extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced castor oil-induced intestinal transit in mice, with the greatest effect observed with the 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract. The pretreatmentof mice with the extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) caused a dose-dependent and significant (p < 0.05) delay in the onset of diarrhoea, frequency of stooling, decreased weight of wet stools and the general diarrhoeal score in mice. The effect of the extract on the normal intestinal transit in mice was not significant. However, in the phenol red meal test in rats, the extract (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) in a doserelatedmanner, significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the normal intestinal transit in rats, without a significant effect on the gastric emptying compared to loperamide (5 mg/kg) treated rats. The extract produced no significant effect on the castor oil-induced fluid accumulation in rats. Also, the extract produced no mortalities in mice at a maximum oral dose of 8 g/kg; it is therefore well tolerated and relatively safe by oral route. The results indicate that the aqueous extract possesses antidiarrhoealactivity. This is a possible reason for its antidiarrhoeal use in traditional medicine

Evaluation of the wound healing potential of Protea madiensis Oliv leaf extract in rats

Protea madiensis Oliv. is a flowering shrub which grows in south eastern Nigeria. Liquids extracted from its leaves are applied on wounds to promote healing. To investigate the effect of P. madiensis on wound healing, its methanol extract was applied topically on excision wounds daily. During the experimental period, the rate of contraction, epithelialisation and histology of the wounds were studied. Also, in vitro antibacterial study, 1,1-diphenyl-2-hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging assay and phytochemical analysis were performed using P. madiensis extract. Wound contraction and epithelialisation were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) faster in the P. madiensis treated rats compared to the control rats. On day 14 post wounding, wound sections of the extract treated rats showed more collagen fibers, more fibroblasts and fewer inflammatory cells compared to the control. At 5, 10 and 20 mg/ml concentrations, P. madiensis inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The extract at 100 μg/ml showed 60.4% DPPH scavenging activity. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and glycosides in the extract. In conclusion, the extract of P. madiensis significantly enhanced wound contraction, epithelialisation, fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition thus authenticating the claim of its efficacy in traditional wound care.Key words: Protea madiensis, excision wounds, antioxidant, fibroblasts, antibacterial

Antinociceptive activity of Mentha piperita leaf aqueous extract in mice

Mentha piperita L. (Labiatae) is an herbaceous plant, used in folk medicine for the treatment of several medical disorders.In the present study, the aqueous extract of Mentha piperita leaf, at the i.p doses 200 and 400 mg/kg, showed significant analgesic effects against both acetic acid-induced writhing and hot plate-induced thermal stimulation in mice, with protection values of 51.79% and 20.21% respectively. On the contrary, the Mentha piperita leaf aqueous extract did not exhibit anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan induced paw oedema.These findings indicate that Mentha piperita has a potential analgesic effect that may possibly have mediated centrally and peripherally, as well as providing a pharmacological evidence for its traditional use as a pain reliever

A review on herbal antiasthmatics

In traditional systems of medicine, many plants have been documented to be useful for the treatment of various respiratory disorders including asthma. In the last two decades the use of medicinal plants and natural products has been increased dramatically all over the world. Current synthetic drugs used in pharmacotherapy of asthma are unable to act at all the stages and targets of asthma. However some herbal alternatives employed in asthma are proven to provide symptomatic relief and assist in the inhibition of disease progression also. The herbs have shown interesting results in various target specific biological activities such as bronchodilation, mast cell stabilization, anti-anaphylactic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, anti-allergic, immunomodulatory and inhibition of mediators such as leukotrienes, lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase, platelet activating, phosphodiesterase and cytokine, in the treatment of asthma. This paper is an attempt to classify these pharmacological and clinical findings based on their possible mechanism of action reported. It also signifies the need for development of polyherbal formulations containing various herbs acting at particular sites of the pathophysiological cascade of asthma for prophylaxis as well as for the treatment of asthma

Analgesic Effect of Methanol Leaf Extract of Alstonia Boonei De Wild (Apocynaceae)

Purpose: To evaluate the possible analgesic properties of the methanol leaf extract of Alstonia boonei (De Wild, Apocynaceae) a locally available plant used in traditional medicine for the management of pain and other conditions.Methods: Alstonia boonei leaves were extracted with methanol. Rodent models were employed in screening the analgesic effect of the extract. Pain indices evaluated in hot plate and tail flick tests, formalin pain test and mouse writhing assay were mean reaction time to latent heat, time spent in licking of injected paw and abdominal writhes, respectively.Results: Oral administration of the extract caused a significant (p &lt; 0.05) dose-dependent reduction in the number of abdominal writhes (control, 84.67 ± 9.58; 100 mg/kg, 57.86 ± 3.07; 200 mg/kg, 24.40 ±3.92; and 400 mg/kg, 22.50 ± 2.53). The extract also produced significant (p &lt; 0.05) but non-dose dependent increase in elevation of pain threshold in the hot plate (ranging from 27.99 to 42.26 % inhibition) and tail flick tests (ranging from 34.73 to 81.42 % inhibition) in mice and rats, respectively. All doses of the extract used produced significant (p &lt; 0.05) inhibition of both phases of the formalininduced pain in mice, with a more pronounced anti-inflammatory effect on the late (ranging from 46.96 to74.12 %) phase than the early anti-neurogenic (ranging from 49.52 to 51.47 %) phase.Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the analgesic effect of Alstonia boonei may be mediated via both central and peripheral mechanisms.Keywords: Alstonia boonei, Analgesia, Pain, Methanol extract

Gastrointestinal Activity of the Aqueous Extract of a Nigerian Polyherbal Preparation

The pharmacological effect of a polyherbal preparation, an aqueous extract of the plants; Aristolochia albida, Aristolochia regen, Syzygium aromaticum, Morinda morindoides, Cassia fistula, used in the South West of Nigeria for gastrointestinal disturbances and diarrhoea was evaluated. The results obtained showed that the extract (10-50mg/kg) produced a dose dependent and significant (

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease