The Effects of Crude Extracts and Fractions of Alchemilla abyssinica on Smooth Muscle of Guinea-pig Ileum: An in Vitro Study

A. Esaiyas^1, , Y. Mekonnen² and T. Tolessa³

¹Unit of Human Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia

²Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

³Department of Human Physiology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Cite this paper:
A. Esaiyas, Y. Mekonnen and T. Tolessa. The Effects of Crude Extracts and Fractions of Alchemilla abyssinica on Smooth Muscle of Guinea-pig Ileum: An in Vitro Study. American Journal of Biomedical Research. 2016; 4(1):23-26. doi: 10.12691/ajbr-4-1-5

Abstract

Background: Alchemilla abyssinica is a plant widely used in traditional medicine. Its wide use among the community plus already established scientific evidences for medicinal values of other Alchemilla species provided good ground for this investigation. Methods: In this research, CHCl₃/EtoAc 1:1 extract of dried aerial parts of Alchemilla abyssinica, methanolic extract of the CHCl₃/ EtoAc residue and fractions of the methanolic extract were tested on isolated guinea-pig ileum (GPI) for possible presence of spasmogenic or spasmolytic effects. Concentrations of each extract and fraction ranging from 20-600 μg/ml final organ bath concentration were tested. The effects of these test samples on the basal rhythmic contractions of the GPI as well as on its contraction elicited using the agonist, histamine, were determined. The antagonist, Papaverine, was also used as a control smooth muscle relaxant. Results: While the CHCl₃/EtoAc 1:1 extract showed neither spasmogenic nor spasmolytic result, the methanolic extract showed marked spasmolytic effect. This methanolic extract was fractionated using column chromatography and the fraction eluted using Hexane/EtoAc 1:2 gave greatest spasmolytic result. This fraction produced significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent spasmolytic effects on the agonist induced contractions of the GPI to 95.7% at 20 μg/ml, 43.6% at 70 μg/ml and 14.2% at 120 μg/ml in the organ bath. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that Alchemilla abyssinica possesses spasmolytic property. The oral acute toxicity study showed Alchemilla abyssinica exhibited no toxicity up to doses of 1,000 mg/kg body weight in Swiss albino mice. Further chemical work to identify the compound(s) responsible for the activity is recommended.

Keywords:
Alchemilla abyssinica spasmolytic guinea-pig ileum

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References:

[1]	World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva (2000). General Guidelines for Methodologies on Research and Evaluation traditional medicine. pp. 1-10.
[2]	Cortés A., Gutiérrez L. I. and Aoki M. K. (1998). Effect of Backebergia militaris Cactus Extract on Intestinal Smooth Muscle Contractility. Phytotherapy Research Vol. 12: 480 - 483.
[3]	Manigaunha A., Ganesh N and Kharya M. D. (2010). Morning glory: A new thirst in-search of de-novo therapeutic approach, International Journal of Phytomedicine 2, 18-21
[4]	Hedberg I. and Edwards S. (1989). Flora of Ethiopia. Vol. 3. The National Herbarium, AAU pp.40.
[5]	Dagne E. (2009). Natural Database for Africa, Version 1.0, Database prepared in CD.
[6]	Gashaw M. (1991). The use and value of wild plants to the people of Bale. Walia 13: 21-28.
[7]	Shrivastava R. and John G. W. (2006). Treatment of aphtous stomatitis with Topical Alchimella vulgaris in glycerine. Naturveda – Vitro-Bio Research Inistitute, ZAC de Lavaur, Issoire, Fr. Clinical Drug Investigation, 26(10), 567-573.
[8]	Said O., Khalil K., Fulder S., Marie1 Y., Kassis E. and Saad B. (2010). A Double Blinded – Randomized Clinical Study with “Weighlevel”, a Combination of Four Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Greco-Arab and Islamic Medicine. The Open Complementary Medicine Journal (2) 1-6.
[9]	Mekonnen Y. (1999). Effects of ethanol extract of M. stenopetala leaves on guinea-pig and mouse smooth muscle. Phytotherapy Research 13(5): 442-444.
[10]	Jyothi Y., Kamath J. V., and Asad M., (2006), Effect of hexane extract of Boswellia serrate Oleo-Gum resin on Chemically induced liver damage, Pak. J. Pharm. Sci., Vol. 19(2) pp. 129-133.
[11]	Gaylord Chemical Company. (2005). Technical Bulletin – Reaction Solvent Dimethyl Sulphoxide (DMSO). pp. 90-91.
[12]	OECD, Organization for Economic co-operation and development. (2001). Guideline for testing of Chemicals.
[13]	Ghayur M.N., Gilani A.H., (2006), Radish seed extract mediates its cardiovascular inhibitory effects via muscarinic receptor activation. Fundamen. and Clinic. Pharmacol 20(1) pp. 57-63.
[14]	Tolessa T. Lordal M. and Hellstrom P. M. (1996). Contractile responses of rat duodenum caused by transmural nerve stimulation: interaction between tachykininergic and cholinergic mechanisms. Acta Physiol Scand, 158, 135-142.
[15]	Saad B., Azaizeh H., Abu-Hijleh G. and Said O. (2006). Review - Safety of Traditional Arab Herbal Medicine, Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine; 3(4) 433- 439.
[16]	Hodge H. C. and Sterner J. H. (1949). 'Tabulation of Toxicity Classes', American Industrial Hygiene Association Quarterly, 10: 4, 93-96.
[17]	Duke J. A. (2002). Handbook of medicinal herbs. 2nd ed. CRC Press pp. 448.
[18]	Yarnell E. and Abascal K., (2009), Multiphasic Herbal Prescribing for Menstruating Women, Alternative and complementary therapies, (15):3 pp. 126-134.
[19]	Ivancheva S., Nikolova M. and Tsvetkova R. (2006). Pharmacological activities and biologically active compounds of Bulgarian medicinal plants, Phytochemistry:Advances in Research, 87-103.
[20]	Lans C., Turner N., Khan T., Brauer G. and Boepple W., (2007), Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2007, 3:11.
[21]	Jonadet M., Meunier M.T., Villie F., Bastide J.P., Lamaison J.L. (1986). [Flavonoids extracted from Ribes nigrum L. and Alchemilla vulgaris L.: In vitro inhibitory activities on elastase, trypsin and hymotrypsin. 2. Angioprotective activities compared in vivo]. [Article in French]. J Pharmacol; 17(1): 21-7.