African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (10), pp. 1271-1273, 16 May 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Smooth muscle relaxant activity of 3-carbomethoxylpyridine from Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf on isolated rat uterus

Falodun A¹, Usifoh CO¹ and Nworgu ZAM²

¹Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and ²Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: faloabi25@yahoo.com, +2348032396550

Accepted 10 May, 2006

Abstract

Pyrenacantha staudtii leaf (Icacinaceae) is a medicinal herb used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of threatened abortion and gastrointestinal disorders. Previous chemical work in our laboratory reported the isolation and characterization of 3- carbomethoxylpyridine from the methanolic extract of this plant. The inhibitory effect of the crude extract on isolated rat uterus was also established. The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory activity of the isolated compound, 3- carbomethoxylpyridine, on rat isolated uterine preparation. This was achieved by subjecting the compound to uterine preparation in an organ bath containing a physiological salt solution of De Jalon. The contractions were recorded with an FT03 transducer attached to an Ugo Basil recorder. The study has shown for the first time that 3-carbomethoxylpyridine has a relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the uterus promoting relaxation of the spontaneous and oxytocin-induced contractions.

Key words: 3-carbomethoxylpyridine, smooth muscle, rat uterus, Pyrenacantha staudtii