ABSTRACT
Aims: Garcinia kola is used in West African countries for the treatment of various ailments such as cough, tooth decay, asthma and menstrual cramps. The inhibitory effect of Garcinia kola seed extract (GKE) on drug-induced contractions was studied on iliac smooth muscle preparations of guinea pig to ascertain the validity of the use of Garcinia kola in traditional medicine and to elucidate its possible mechanism of action. Place and Duration of Study: The study was done in Post Graduate Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar-Nigeria, between November 2013 and April 2014. Methodology: The antispasmodic influence of GKE (0.02 – 1 mg/ml) on acetylcholine, histamine and potassium chloride -induced contractions were carried out. The effect of GKE in a Ca2+-free Tyrode medium and in the presence of adrenergic antagonists was also investigated. Results: The results revealed that GKE inhibited or attenuated the spasmogenic effects of histamine and potassium chloride in a dose-dependent manner and shifted their log. doseresponse curves to the right, with pA2 values of 2.09±0.06 and 3.25±0.07 respectively. Preadministration of propranolol, prazosin or labetalol had no attenuating influence on the antispasmodic effect of GKE. Iliac smooth muscle responses to cumulative increased [Ca2+] in a depolarizing bathing medium and in a Ca2+- free Tyrode solution were also blocked. Comparative antispasmodic potencies indicated that papaverine and aminophylline were more potent than the extract. Conclusion: These findings suggest that Garcinia kola seed extract acts neither via cholinergic nor adrenergic receptor mediation, but may involve interference with Ca2+ mobilization, thus sharing with papaverine and/or aminophylline similar mechanism(s) of action.
ABSTRACT
Aim: Salacia lehmbachii is used in South Eastern Nigeria folk medicine to treat abdominal pain, inflammatory disorders and malaria symptom without scientific documentation. The aim of this study was therefore, to assess possible analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of aqueous root extract of Salacia lehmbachii (ARESL) in albino rats. Place and Duration of Study: The study was done in World Bank Step B Anti-Malaria Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar-Nigeria, between November 2013 and January 2014. Methodology: Analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of ARESL were assessed in Wistar rats at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg. To assess analgesic activity, acetic acidinduced writhing and formalin tests were used. To assess anti-inflammatory property, carrageenan and dextran-induced hind paw edema were used. Differences between group means were compared statistically by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test as post hoc. Results: In acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract, at a dose of 400 mg/kg, showed a maximum inhibition (P=.05) of 71.66% of writhing while the standard drug Aspirin inhibited 81.05% of writhing compared to untreated control group. In formalin test, ARESL showed a maximum inhibition (P =.05) of 71.77% at a dose of 400 mg/kg while standard drug Pethidine showed 76.11%. For carrageenan-induced paw edema test, ARESL at a dose of 400 mg/kg showed maximum 85.90% inhibition (P =.05) of inflammatory activity while dextran-induced showed 87.9%. Conclusion: ARESL possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities which corroborate the aqueous extract being used in folk medicine.