title: Antiamoebic and spasmolytic activities of extracts from some antidiarrhoeal traditional preparations used in Kinshasa, Congo.
abstract: Three major extracts from some traditional preparations, based on medicinal plants, used as antidiarrhoeal agents were investigated for their putative antiamoebic and spasmolytic activities in vitro. Results indicated that both biological activities are concentrated in the polyphenolic fraction, and not in the saponin or alkaloid containing fractions. The most active polyphenolic extracts were those from Euphorbia hirta whole plant, leaves of Alchornea cordifolia, Crossopteryx febrifuga, Nauclea latifolia, Psidium guajava, Tithonia diversifolia, stem bark of Harungana madagascariensis, Mangifera indica, Maprounea africana and Psidium guajava, inhibiting Entamoeba histolytica growth with MAC < 10 micrograms/ml. The same extracts, at a concentration of 80 micrograms/ml in an organ bath, also exhibited more than 70% inhibition of acetylcholine and/or KCl solution-induced contractions on isolated guinea-pig ileum.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tona
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kambu
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ngimbi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mesia
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Penge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lusakibanza
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cimanga
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Bruyne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Totte
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pieters
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vlietinck
mesh_terms: D000563:Amebicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000563:Amebicides; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010936:Plant Extracts