ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the constituents of water and ethanol extracts from the stems and leaves ofAucklandia lappa and their effect on gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion of gastrointestinal normal,hyperthyroidism and inhibited mice.Methods The water,ethanol and aether petrolei extracts from stems and leaves of A.lappa were prepared,and the chemical constituents of the stems and leaves were identified by chemical reaction.The hyperthyroidism state was induced by neostigmine and inhibiting state was induced by atropine.Mice were ig administered with water and ethanol extracts (0.5 g/kg),with the improved phenol red method to determine gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion in gastrointestinal normal,hyperthyroidism and inhibited mice.Results Both water and ethanol extracts significantly improved intestinal propulsion in normal mice (P ＜ 0.05 and 0.01),while significantly decreased the intestinal propulsion in hyperthyroidism mice (P ＜ 0.05) and ethanol extract showed a stronger decreasing effect than that of water extract.The inhibitory effect of atropine on intestinal propulsion was intensified by these two extracts (P ＜ 0.05).The restrained gastric emptying of normal,hyperthyroidism and inhibited mice was also observed.Chemical composition analysis indicated that many kinds of chemical components including protein,sugar,essential oil,flavonoids,lactones,alkaloids,saponins and tannins existed in the leaves and stems of A.lappa.Conclusion The leaves and stems of A.lappa could promote the intestinal propulsion of normal mice and restrain the intestinal propulsion of hyperthyroidism and inhibited mice while inhibit the gastric emptying in any condition tested,and its promoting effect on the gut may be related to the M cholinergic receptor.