Omonkhelin J Owolabi, Eric KI Omogbai, Anthony B Eledan and Abiodun Falodun
Keywords: Kigelia africana; rat uterus; tocolytic activity; bark extract.
Abstract: The ethanolic extract of Kigelia africana at 400.0 and 800.0 ?g /ml concentrations were tested on the isolated rat uterus. Both concentrations significantly (p<0.0001) exerted high smooth muscle relaxant activity on the uterus (a reduction of oxytocin and acetylcholine induced contractions as well as inhibition of the spontaneous contractions of the uterus were observed). Evaluation of the data also indicated that the relaxant effect was dose-dependent. Its relaxant activity was 80 and 90% of the inhibitory effects produced by salbutamol (0.002?g/ml) and atropine (0.02?g/ml) on oxytocin and acetylcholine induced contractions respectively. Proximate analysis of the powdered crude stem bark was also carried out. The results indicate the presence of active principles in the bark extracts of Kigelia africana which may be responsible for some of the applications in traditional medicines as remedy against threatened abortion and retained placenta. The proximate analysis carried out in this study is used to establish the identity of the crude drug sample. A moisture content of 5.55 ± 0.02 % was obtained. The total ash is a measure of the non-volatile inorganic constituents remaining after ashing. The values of 3.26 ± 0.13 were obtained.
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