title: Spasmogenic activity and acute toxicity of Yumijangquebo, a herbal laxative formulation.
abstract: We evaluated the pharmacological properties and spasmogenic activities of Yumijangquebotrade mark, a Korean herbal laxative formulation. Doses in the range 12-50 microg/ml induced a large spasmogenic effect in isolated guinea pig ileum, similar to that induced by acetylcholine. Pre-treating the tissue with atropine (0.2 microM) completely abolished the contractile effect of Yumijangquebo. The spasmogenic effect of Yumijangquebo and the inhibition of this effect by atropine suggest that a cholinergic mechanism is responsible for its effects. Yumijangquebo increased the gastrointestinal motility in ICR mice at doses between 10 and 37 mg/kg. Yumijangquebo exhibited higher activity than three other laxatives tested, which had activities about 85% of that of Yumijangquebo. In an acute toxicity study using Sprague-Dawley rats, the median lethal dose (LD50) of Yumijangquebo was greater than 2000 mg/kg, and we found no pathological changes in macroscopic examination by necropsy of rats treated with Yumijangquebo. We conclude that Yumijangquebo may be safely used as a herbal spasmogenic laxative agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Medicinal Toxicology Research Center, Inha University, Inchon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Duk
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Chang-Shin
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung-Yeoun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Yeong-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Woon-Gye
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002400:Cathartics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics; D000109:Acetylcholine