title: Screening of Icacina trichantha extracts for pharmacological activity.
abstract: Some preliminary studies were conducted on the biological activities of Icacina trichantha in mice. In vitro tests performed with the 70% ethanol, petroleum ether and aqueous extracts of tubers, roots, stems and leaves did not show contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum up to a bath concentration of 40.5 mg/ml. Graded oral doses (100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) of the aqueous extract of tubers produced wet faeces in mice with the number of wet faeces increasing with increasing dose up to 400 mg/kg. A time-course study of the purgative effect showed the maximum purgative response to be 7-8 h after oral dosing. The aqueous extract of tubers significantly potentiated pentobarbital-induced loss of righting reflex at a dose of 80 mg/kg i.p. but this dose did not protect mice from strychnine or leptazole convulsions and death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
authors.forename: I U
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Asuzu
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ugwueze
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002400:Cathartics; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009549:Nigeria; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002400:Cathartics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010424:Pentobarbital