An in vitro study of the effects of Cassia podocarpa fruit on the intestinal motility of rats

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) Vol. 11; no. 2; pp. 249 - 254
• Main Authors: Akomolafe, R.O., Adeoshun, I.O., Ayoka, A.O., Elujoba, A.A., Iwalewa, E.O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01-02-2004; Urban & Fischer Verlag; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: allosteric activation; Animals; anthraquinone; anti-diarrhoea; Antidiarrheals - administration & dosage; Antidiarrheals - pharmacology; Antidiarrheals - therapeutic use; Cassia; Cassia acutifolia fruit; Cassia podocarpa fruit; Colon - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Fruit; Gastrointestinal Motility - drug effects; Ileum - drug effects; motility; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; purgation; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Nigeria; anthraquinone; motility; Cassia acutifolia fruit; anti-diarrhoea; allosteric activation; purgation; Cassia podocarpa fruit
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1078/0944-7113-00330

Folkloric evidence and scientific reports indicate the use of
C. podocarpa fruit as a purgative recipe. This study attempts to find the
in vitro effects of its aqueous infusion (ACPF) and methanolic extract (MCPF) on the motility of the intestine of albino rats of Wistar strain and to compare their effect with those of
C. acutifolia fruit (ACAF and MCAF). MCPF relaxed both the ileum and colon dose dependently. Its effect was blocked by tolazoline (10
–9 M) and propranolol (10
–9 M). ACPF had no effect on the ileum, but contracted the colon dose-dependently. Its effect was blocked by nifedipine (2.8 × 10
–10 M) and drastically reduced by atropine (3.4 × 10
–6 M). MCAF has the same effect as ACPF on both ileum and colon and its effect was similarly affected by atropine (3.4 × 10
–6 M) and nifedipine (2.8 × 10
–8 M). ACAF relaxed the ileum, its effect was blocked by tolazoline (5.1 × 10
–7 M). MCAF was more potent than ACPF in contracting the colon, Hexamethonium (2.8 × 10
–8 M), chlorpheniramine (3.8 × 10
–8 M) and promethazine (3.2 × 10
–10 M) potentiated the effect of ACPF on the colon. The results suggest that both ACAF and MCPF have anti-diarrhoeal effect. MCPF acts via both a and b adrenergic receptor stimulation, while ACAF stimulates a-receptor. ACPF and MCAF engage both the cholinergic system and calcium channel activation in causing purgation in the colon. The potentiation of the effect of ACPF by some blockers could be due to allosteric enhancement of the receptors involved in its action.