Effect of aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum Linn. [Labiateae] on gastrointestinal tract

The effect of O. sanctum L. on gastrointestinal [GI] motility by BaSO4 revealed that O. sanctum L. aqueous extract significantly increased the peristaltic movement of GI tract compared to control. But the in vitro result on isolated guinea pig ileum differs from the in vivo gastrointestinal motility result. The in vitro result of hot water extract showed a dose dependent increase in relaxation on isolated guinea pig ileum similar to previous findings and it showed no interaction with acetylcholine

Bioactivity studies of the aqueous extract of Ocimum sanctum linn. [Labiateae]

Hot water extract of Ocimum sanctum L. [Labiateae] showed bioactivity against brine shrimp lethality bioassay. The LC50 value was found l35micro g/ml and the ED50 value was calculated l3.5micro g/ml. The extract was ineffective on wheat rootlet growth inhibition bioassay. O. sanctum showed dose related antimicrobial activity against some clinical bacterial isolates Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi but failed to exhibit activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae

Asokarishta-Studies on Metabolism and Gastro-intestinal Motility

The 24 hours acute metabolic study revealed certain striking aspect of the pharmacological profile of Ascokarishta and Saraca asoca [Roxb]. Asokarishta causes no change in food intake but decreases the defecation rate and with low water intake maintains normal rate of excretion. But Saraca asoca [Roxb] causes no change in food intake and defecation followed by slight decrease in water intake but no difference on urinary output. The gastro-intestinal motility test revealed that Asokarishta did not change the motility at all, but Saraca asoca [Roxb] slightly increased the motility whereas the rest of the components lowered the motility. In 30 days chronic administration study all of the components slightly decreased the rate of gain in body weight compared to control

Screening of some medicinal plants for their effects on the gastrointestinal motility of the laboratory animals

A highly significant peristaltic activity was found in Phragmites maxima Blatter and McCann, Imperala cylindrical Beauv, Saraca asoca [Roxb.] de Wilde, Nigella sativa Linn., at both intervals. Saccharum spontaneium L., Pterocarpus santalinus f., Nyctanthes arabor-tristis L., Adhatoda vasica Nees., increased the GI motility at significant level [p < 0.005] only at 15 minutes. Saccharum officinarum Linn. and Numphaea lotus Hook f and Thoms increased the motility after 30 minutes intervals. Dichelactina nodicaulis Hance., Pentaptera mollis Presl., Embica officianlis, Zingiber officinale Rosc., Cyperus rotundus Linn., Tinospora cordifolia Will., Tribulus terrestris Linn., Terminalia chebula Retz., and Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. did not show any effect on gastrointestinal motility experiments. Plumbago zeyanica Linn., Woodforida fruticosa Kurz, Piper longum Linn., Iraria lagopodioides, Curcuma domestica Valeton, Symplocos racemosa Roxb., Crataeva religiosa Buch-Ham, and Terminalia bellerica Roxb. showed a decreasing tendency on GI motility at intervals. The Embelia ribes Burm f., Crataeva nurvala Buch-Ham, Argyreia speciosa Burm f. Boj., Boerhaavia diffusa Linn., Centratherum anthelminticum Kuntze, Ipomoea turpethum Linn., Butea monosperma Kuntze and Piper nigrum Linn. showed significant decrease in peristaltic movements only at 15 minutes intervals. The Semecarpus anacardium Linn. [p < 0.001] showed a very high GI motility inhibiting effects showing no motility at both intervals