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Studies on some medicinal plants of senegal: Effects on isolated guinea pig ileum
205
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 26 (1989) 205-210 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Short Communication
STUDIES EFFECTS
ON SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SENEGAL: ON ISOLATED GUINEA PIG ILEUM
F. OCCHIUTO, C. CIRCOSTA and R. COSTA DE PASQUALE Pha~aco-Biological mazy/
~epart~e~~
(Accepted December
6, 1988)
Snivel-sity
of Mess&a
EEL
SS.
An~~n~~t~
98168 Mess&a
Introduction
The traditional Senegalese Pharmacopoeia (Kerharo and Adam, 19741 includes more than 600 plants used in native medicine; however, the bulk of scientific studies on African medicinal plants are of recent origin and concern only a few of the species actually used (Caiment-Le Blond, 1957; Watt, 1962; Kokwaro, 1976; Ayensu, 1978; Sofowora, 1982; Oliver-Bever, 19861. In continuing our investigations on drugs used in African traditional medicine (Circosta et al., 19851, four medicinal plants from the traditional Senegalese Pharmacopoeia have been selected for studies on isolated smooth muscle: Afrormosiu Zuxifloru (Benth, ex Bak.1 Harms, Cordia myza L., Lantuna cumaru L., Trema guineensti &hum. et Thonn.1 Ficalho. Local uses of these plants are very numerous and often differ widely from one region to another. Among other things, they are commonly used to treat coughs and chest infections. Materials and methods Plant materials Afrormosia luxiflora, Cord& myxa, Luntuna cumaru leaves and Trema gu~~eense leaves and bark were obtained from commercial sources in Africa by P. Garnier of Aubage, France. The identities of the plants were confirmed using the available literature (Kerbaro and Adam, 1974; Morton, 1981; Duke and Ayensu, 1985; Grenand et al., 19871. Voucher specimens were deposited at the Pharmaco-Biological Department, University of Messina. 0378-8741/89/$02.45 0 1989 Elsevier Published and Printed in Ireland
Scientific Publishers
Ireland Ltd.
206
Preparation
of extracts
For aqueous extracts, 50 g of powdered dried drug were boiled gently with 500 ml of distilled water for 60 min, filtered, and lyophylized (extract t). The yields of the extracts were approximately 15% for Trema and Lantana, 8% for Afrormosia and 3% for Cordia. For the fractionated extracts, 50 g of powdered dried drug were extracted in a Soxhlet for 8 h with petroleum ether (30- 50°C) (extract a), then extracted with 95% ethanol (extract b) and finally with distilled water (extract cl. Each extract was concentrated in vacua using a rotary evaporator. The yields of a, b and c extracts were respectively: 1.5%, 10.9% and 5.7% for Afrormosia; 1.4010, 1.8% and 5.7% for Cordia; 0.150/o, 4.2% and 5.6% for Lantana; 8.2010, 30.7% and 16.2% for Trema leaves and lo/o, 5.4% and 13.7% for Trema bark. Before testing, the extracts were dispersed by sonication in Tyrode’s solution at concentrations corresponding to 3, 6, 9 mg dried drug/ 0.1 ml. In vitro studies The extracts were tested on isolated guinea pig ileum. Two-centimetre pieces of ileum were removed from male animals fasted overnight but given water ad libitum. Each piece was suspended in 30 ml of aerated (95% 0,/5% CO,) Tyrode’s solution (composition in mM: NaCl 136, KC1 2.6, CaCl, 1.8, NaHCO, 110, NaH,PO, 0.41, MgCl, 1.05, glucose 5.5) kept at 37OC. After an
”
*
_..
”
,_
t
!
!
Fig. 1. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Afromosia laxifloru leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extract; c petroleum ether extract; b: ethanol extract; c: aqueous extract; Ach: acetylcholine 0.0125 pg/ml; A: A. luxifZoru extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
207
equilibration time of 30 min, the responses to acetylcholine (Ach, 0.0125 pg/ ml) or atropine (Atr, 0.0025 pg/ml) were recorded. Each tissue was then repeatedly washed before drug extracts at concentrations/corresponding to 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg of dried drug/ml were added. Ach was added 1 min later. Isotonic contractions/were recorded by a transducer (Basile type 70061 on a two-channel recorder (Basile-Italy). Results and discussion
The total aqueous extract (tl, ethanol extract (bl and aqueous extract (c) of Zuxifloru (Fig. 11, t and c extracts of Lantuna CU~UTU (Fig. 21 and t extract of Tremu guineense leaves (Fig. 31 induced contractions in isolated guinea pig ileum and the effects were always greater with the t extract. Effects were always concentration-dependent (Fig. 21. The t and c extracts of Cordziz myxu (Fig. 41 reduced Ach-induced contractions of guinea pig ileum. Tremu guineense leaf and bark a and c extracts produced only negligible increases of contraction while the other extracts were quite inactive. The above results show that A. luxifloru, L. cumuru and T. guineense
Afrormosiu
_-.~t OS1 y(arl “_ _ / _.““----^1__“--
-3_-~~_.__“~
-.-“-.-
.-.
~__~__.
.--
.__
“” ,_
“_l_ll- -.-- ._.. ” . t ohtrl(n1 ._.“_^ I
.
^_^__.
._
_-__ _...-l-l-.“~^-
Fig. 2. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Bantam camam leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extracts; c: aqueous extract: L: L. cumaru extract; W: washing. Note the concentration-response pattern seen for t.
208
Fig. 3. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Trema guineensis leaf extract. t: total aqueous extract; T: T glcineensis extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
209
W
ACh
1 @.
. I. .
‘
.^
. t
AC&
c
._
1
*__
t
t
c
.
_
.
*
.
Am
W
W
Fig. 4. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Cordia myxa leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extract: c: aqueous extract; Ach: acetylcholine 0.0125 rg/ml; Atr: atropine 0.0025 fig/ml; C: C. myxa extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
210
leaves contain some water-soluble factors which cause contraction of guinea pig ileum but apparently with less intrinsic activity than Ach. In a contrary fashion, extracts of Cordia myxa reduced Ach-induced contractions. This may support the fact that in traditional medicine a deco&ion of this drug is used as a remedy for cough and chest conditions (Watt, 19621. Further research on the active principles contained in the aqueous extracts are in progress. References Ayensu, gan.
E. (19781 Medicinal
Plants
of West Africa,
Reference
Publications
Caiment-Le Blond, J. (19571 Contribution a l’etude des plantes medicinales These doct. Pharm., University of Paris, Paris. Circosta, C., Castorina, M., Raccuia, A. and Occhiuto, F. (19851 3 Congr. (Alghero, Italy; 22 - 24 October).
Inc., Algonac, d’A.0.F. Sot.
Michi-
et d’A.E.F.,
It. Farmacogn.
Duke, J.A. and Ayensu, E.S. (1985) Medicinal Plants of China, Reference Publications, Algonac, Michigan, p. 639. Grenand, P., Moretti, C. and Jacquemin, H. (19871 Pharmacopees Traditionelles en Guayane, Orstom, Paris. Kerharo, J. and Adam, J.G. (1974) La Pharrnacopee Senegal&se Traditionelle-Pluntes medicinales et toxiques. Vigots freres, Paris. Kokwaro, J.O. (1976) Medicinal Plants of East Africa, East African Literature Bureau, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam. Morton, J.F. (19811 Atlas of Medicinal Plants of Middle America, Charles C Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Illinois, p. 739. Oliver-Bever, B. (1986) Medicinal Plants in Tropical West Africa Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Sofowora, A. (19821 Medicinul Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa, Wiley and Sons, Chichester. Watt, J.M. (19621 The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa, Livingstone, Edinburgh, London.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 26 (1989) 205-210 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland Ltd.
Short Communication
STUDIES EFFECTS
ON SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SENEGAL: ON ISOLATED GUINEA PIG ILEUM
F. OCCHIUTO, C. CIRCOSTA and R. COSTA DE PASQUALE Pha~aco-Biological mazy/
~epart~e~~
(Accepted December
6, 1988)
Snivel-sity
of Mess&a
EEL
SS.
An~~n~~t~
98168 Mess&a
Introduction
The traditional Senegalese Pharmacopoeia (Kerharo and Adam, 19741 includes more than 600 plants used in native medicine; however, the bulk of scientific studies on African medicinal plants are of recent origin and concern only a few of the species actually used (Caiment-Le Blond, 1957; Watt, 1962; Kokwaro, 1976; Ayensu, 1978; Sofowora, 1982; Oliver-Bever, 19861. In continuing our investigations on drugs used in African traditional medicine (Circosta et al., 19851, four medicinal plants from the traditional Senegalese Pharmacopoeia have been selected for studies on isolated smooth muscle: Afrormosiu Zuxifloru (Benth, ex Bak.1 Harms, Cordia myza L., Lantuna cumaru L., Trema guineensti &hum. et Thonn.1 Ficalho. Local uses of these plants are very numerous and often differ widely from one region to another. Among other things, they are commonly used to treat coughs and chest infections. Materials and methods Plant materials Afrormosia luxiflora, Cord& myxa, Luntuna cumaru leaves and Trema gu~~eense leaves and bark were obtained from commercial sources in Africa by P. Garnier of Aubage, France. The identities of the plants were confirmed using the available literature (Kerbaro and Adam, 1974; Morton, 1981; Duke and Ayensu, 1985; Grenand et al., 19871. Voucher specimens were deposited at the Pharmaco-Biological Department, University of Messina. 0378-8741/89/$02.45 0 1989 Elsevier Published and Printed in Ireland
Scientific Publishers
Ireland Ltd.
206
Preparation
of extracts
For aqueous extracts, 50 g of powdered dried drug were boiled gently with 500 ml of distilled water for 60 min, filtered, and lyophylized (extract t). The yields of the extracts were approximately 15% for Trema and Lantana, 8% for Afrormosia and 3% for Cordia. For the fractionated extracts, 50 g of powdered dried drug were extracted in a Soxhlet for 8 h with petroleum ether (30- 50°C) (extract a), then extracted with 95% ethanol (extract b) and finally with distilled water (extract cl. Each extract was concentrated in vacua using a rotary evaporator. The yields of a, b and c extracts were respectively: 1.5%, 10.9% and 5.7% for Afrormosia; 1.4010, 1.8% and 5.7% for Cordia; 0.150/o, 4.2% and 5.6% for Lantana; 8.2010, 30.7% and 16.2% for Trema leaves and lo/o, 5.4% and 13.7% for Trema bark. Before testing, the extracts were dispersed by sonication in Tyrode’s solution at concentrations corresponding to 3, 6, 9 mg dried drug/ 0.1 ml. In vitro studies The extracts were tested on isolated guinea pig ileum. Two-centimetre pieces of ileum were removed from male animals fasted overnight but given water ad libitum. Each piece was suspended in 30 ml of aerated (95% 0,/5% CO,) Tyrode’s solution (composition in mM: NaCl 136, KC1 2.6, CaCl, 1.8, NaHCO, 110, NaH,PO, 0.41, MgCl, 1.05, glucose 5.5) kept at 37OC. After an
”
*
_..
”
,_
t
!
!
Fig. 1. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Afromosia laxifloru leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extract; c petroleum ether extract; b: ethanol extract; c: aqueous extract; Ach: acetylcholine 0.0125 pg/ml; A: A. luxifZoru extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
207
equilibration time of 30 min, the responses to acetylcholine (Ach, 0.0125 pg/ ml) or atropine (Atr, 0.0025 pg/ml) were recorded. Each tissue was then repeatedly washed before drug extracts at concentrations/corresponding to 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg of dried drug/ml were added. Ach was added 1 min later. Isotonic contractions/were recorded by a transducer (Basile type 70061 on a two-channel recorder (Basile-Italy). Results and discussion
The total aqueous extract (tl, ethanol extract (bl and aqueous extract (c) of Zuxifloru (Fig. 11, t and c extracts of Lantuna CU~UTU (Fig. 21 and t extract of Tremu guineense leaves (Fig. 31 induced contractions in isolated guinea pig ileum and the effects were always greater with the t extract. Effects were always concentration-dependent (Fig. 21. The t and c extracts of Cordziz myxu (Fig. 41 reduced Ach-induced contractions of guinea pig ileum. Tremu guineense leaf and bark a and c extracts produced only negligible increases of contraction while the other extracts were quite inactive. The above results show that A. luxifloru, L. cumuru and T. guineense
Afrormosiu
_-.~t OS1 y(arl “_ _ / _.““----^1__“--
-3_-~~_.__“~
-.-“-.-
.-.
~__~__.
.--
.__
“” ,_
“_l_ll- -.-- ._.. ” . t ohtrl(n1 ._.“_^ I
.
^_^__.
._
_-__ _...-l-l-.“~^-
Fig. 2. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Bantam camam leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extracts; c: aqueous extract: L: L. cumaru extract; W: washing. Note the concentration-response pattern seen for t.
208
Fig. 3. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Trema guineensis leaf extract. t: total aqueous extract; T: T glcineensis extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
209
W
ACh
1 @.
. I. .
‘
.^
. t
AC&
c
._
1
*__
t
t
c
.
_
.
*
.
Am
W
W
Fig. 4. Effect on isolated guinea pig ileum of Cordia myxa leaf extracts. t: total aqueous extract: c: aqueous extract; Ach: acetylcholine 0.0125 rg/ml; Atr: atropine 0.0025 fig/ml; C: C. myxa extract corresponding to 0.2 mg of dried drug/ml; W: washing.
210
leaves contain some water-soluble factors which cause contraction of guinea pig ileum but apparently with less intrinsic activity than Ach. In a contrary fashion, extracts of Cordia myxa reduced Ach-induced contractions. This may support the fact that in traditional medicine a deco&ion of this drug is used as a remedy for cough and chest conditions (Watt, 19621. Further research on the active principles contained in the aqueous extracts are in progress. References Ayensu, gan.
E. (19781 Medicinal
Plants
of West Africa,
Reference
Publications
Caiment-Le Blond, J. (19571 Contribution a l’etude des plantes medicinales These doct. Pharm., University of Paris, Paris. Circosta, C., Castorina, M., Raccuia, A. and Occhiuto, F. (19851 3 Congr. (Alghero, Italy; 22 - 24 October).
Inc., Algonac, d’A.0.F. Sot.
Michi-
et d’A.E.F.,
It. Farmacogn.
Duke, J.A. and Ayensu, E.S. (1985) Medicinal Plants of China, Reference Publications, Algonac, Michigan, p. 639. Grenand, P., Moretti, C. and Jacquemin, H. (19871 Pharmacopees Traditionelles en Guayane, Orstom, Paris. Kerharo, J. and Adam, J.G. (1974) La Pharrnacopee Senegal&se Traditionelle-Pluntes medicinales et toxiques. Vigots freres, Paris. Kokwaro, J.O. (1976) Medicinal Plants of East Africa, East African Literature Bureau, Kampala, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam. Morton, J.F. (19811 Atlas of Medicinal Plants of Middle America, Charles C Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Illinois, p. 739. Oliver-Bever, B. (1986) Medicinal Plants in Tropical West Africa Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Sofowora, A. (19821 Medicinul Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa, Wiley and Sons, Chichester. Watt, J.M. (19621 The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa, Livingstone, Edinburgh, London.