SOME UTEROTONIC PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF SIDA CORYMBOSA (Fries) IN LABORATORY ANIMALS
SOME UTEROTONIC PROPERTIES OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF SIDA CORYMBOSA (Fries) IN LABORATORY ANIMALS
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Date
2016-05
Authors
BAKUT, John Maiganga
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Abstract
Uterotonic property is the characteristic innate ability of a substance to spontaneously
initiate and maintain uterine contractions due to its chemical composition. Over
centuries, sub-saharan Africans have been using Sida corymbosa leaf extract during
labour with the claims that it aids and facilitates childbirth. This study was carried out to
validate the folkloric claim that Sida corymbosa leaf extract possesses uterotonic
property. Acute toxicity test following single oral administration of the extract was done
in accordance with Lorke’s method. Preliminary phytochemical screening was carried
out in accordance with Odebiyi and sofowora (1978) and of Trease and Evans (1996)
methods. In-vitro uterototonic test was conducted on isolated pregnant and non pregnant
uterine tissues. The extract, acetylcholine and oxytocin were independently instilled into
the organ bath and the responses they elicited were measured on a microdynanometre.
Interaction studies were also conducteed using varying concentrations of the extract and
single low doses of acetylcholine, oxytocin, salbutamol, atropine and indomethacine.
The LD50 of the extract was found to be 471.17 mg/kg and phytochemical screening
revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac
glycosides, sterol, triterpenes and anthraquinones in the extract. The extract
demonstrated uterotonic activity more on the pregnant than the non pregnant uterine
tissue. The mean response amplitude of the pregnant uterus was 58.815 mm while that of
non pregnant uterine tissue was 40.328 mm with a mean difference of 18.5 mm. The
concentration that is required to elicit fifty percent of uterotonic activity (EC50) of the
extract was lower for the pregnant uterine tissue (1.58 mg/ml of final bath concentration)
than the EC50 (2.09 mg/ml) of the non pregnant uterus. It indicates increased sensitivity
of the pregnant uterine tissue to the extract than the non pregnant uterine tissue. When
interaction studies were done (between the extract + acetylcholine and extract +
oxytocin), synergy of the uterotonic activity was observed. The percentage increase of
22.3% and 26.4% were observed for the interactions of (extract + acetylcholine) and (extract + oxytocin) respectively on non pregnant uterine tissue. The percentage increase
of 9.28% and 2.79% respectively was observed in the case of the pregnant tissue.
However, when interaction studies were done between (extract + salbutamol, extract +
atropine and extract + indomethacine), the drugs were found to antagonise the uterotonic
activity of the extract with percentage decrease of 80.7%, 88.3% and 79.7% respectively
on the non pregnant uterine tissue and 64.4%, 9.3% and 98.5% respectively on the
pregnant uterine tissue. The extract may be acting via adrenoceptors or prostaglandin
receptor because antagonism by salbutamol and indomethacine on the uterotonic activity
of the extract were apparent on both pregnant and non pregnant uterine tissues. In
conclusion, the aqueous leaf extract of Sida corymbosa has demonstrated uterotonic
activity on both pregnant and non pregnant uterine tissues. The extract has a wide variety
of phytochemicals, it is slightly toxic and may be utilizing adrenoceptors or
prostaglandin receptors for its uterotonic activities.
Description
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE
STUDIES AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIRMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE
DEGREE IN PHARMACOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY AND THERAPEUTICS,
FACULTY OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY,
ZARIA, NIGERIA
Keywords
UTEROTONIC PROPERTIES,, AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT,, SIDA CORYMBOSA,, LABORATORY ANIMALS.