title: The effect of the whole extract of common ivy (Hedera helix) leaves and selected active substances on the motoric activity of rat isolated stomach strips.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The long tradition of using the dry extract of Hedera helix (common ivy) leaves in traditional and contemporary alternative medicine caused that many biological and pharmacological studies have been aimed at evaluating the effects of ivy. Some of the results suggest that Hedera helix extract possesses bronchodilatatory and antispasmodic activity. On the other hand, the symptoms of ivy intoxication in human and animals, as well as adverse-reactions observed during the therapy with ivy-based pharmaceuticals, indicate rather stimulant effect of the plant on smooth muscle. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two main active substances extracted from the plant (α-hederin and hederacoside C) and the whole dry extract of Hedera helix on the gut motility.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiments were carried out on isolated stomach corpus and fundus strips. The tissues were isolated from rats. The experiments were performed in isotonic conditions. The results are expressed as the percent of the reaction caused by a reference contractile substance, acetylcholine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results revealed that α-hederin applied in the concentration ranged from 25 to 320μM significantly changed the spontaneous motoric activity of rat stomach smooth muscle. The observed reaction had always the same character, a contraction, and its force was concentration dependent. The second tested saponin, hederacoside C, did not alter the motility of rat isolated stomach corpus and fundus strips when administered in the concentration up to 100 μM, however, if applied in the concentration of 350 μM it induced a remarkable concentration of smooth muscle. Eventually, the whole extract of Hedera helix in a dose containing 60 μM of hederacoside C produced a strong contraction which strength was comparable with the reaction generated by acetylcholine. According to the results, it is very likely that α-hederin, but not hederacoside C contributes to the contractile response of isolated stomach corpus and fundus strips to the application of Hedera helix leaves' extract.
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8 Ciszewskiego St., 02-786 Warsaw, Poland. marta mendel@sggw.pl
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendel
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chłopecka
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dziekan
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiechetek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D035981:Hedera / Q000737:chemistry*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts