title: The skeletal muscle relaxant action of Portulaca oleracea: role of potassium ions.
abstract: An aqueous extract of the stems and leaves of Portulaca oleracea abolishes the twitch contraction of the directly stimulated rat hemidiaphragm preparation. The effects of the extract mimic qualitatively the action of potassium oxalate--a known constituent of Portulaca oleracea--on the diaphragm. Removal of K+ ions from the methanol extract by passing it through a cation exchange resin reduced the inhibitory effect of the extract. There was a positive correlation between the concentration of K+ ions in the extract and the effects of potassium chloride of similar molarity. It is concluded that the K+ ion content of Portulaca oleracea is at least partly responsible for the relaxant effect observed on the isolated rat diaphragm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Okwuasaba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011188:Potassium