title: Gut and airways relaxant effects of Carum roxburghianum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carum roxburghianum is traditionally used in hyperactive gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders. The present study was carried out to investigate the possible gut and airways relaxant potential of Carum roxburghianum to rationalize its folk uses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crude extract of Carum roxburghianum (Cr.Cr) was studied in in vivo and in vitro techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cr.Cr exhibited protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice at 100-1000 mg/kg. In rabbit jejunum preparations, Cr.Cr (0.03-3.0 mg/mL) caused relaxation of spontaneous and K(+) (80 mM)-induced contractions at similar concentrations, like papaverine. Pretreatment of tissues with Cr.Cr (0.1-1.0 mg/mL) shifted Ca(++) concentration-response curves (CRCs) to right, like verapamil. Cr.Cr (0.03 and 0.1 mg/mL) caused leftward shift of isoprenaline-induced inhibitory CRCs, similar to papaverine. In isolated guinea-pig ileum, Cr.Cr (0.01 and 0.03 mg/mL) produced rightward parallel shift of acetylcholine-curves, like atropine. Cr.Cr (1.0-30 mg/kg) caused suppression of carbachol (CCh, 100 μg/kg)-induced increase in inspiratory pressure of anaesthetized rats. In guinea-pig trachea, Cr.Cr (0.03-1.0 mg/mL) relaxed CCh and high K(+)-induced contractions, shifted isoprenaline-induced inhibitory CRCs to left at 0.1 and 0.3 mg/mL and CCh-curves parallel to right (0.01 and 0.03 mg/mL). Cr.Cr did not cause any mortality of mice up to 10 g/kg dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that Carum roxburghianum possess combination of antidiarrheal, antispasmodic and bronchodilatory effects, which provides pharmacological basis to its traditional use in the disorders of gut and airways hyperactivity, like diarrhea, colic and asthma.
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, The Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi-74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Munasib
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Arif-ullah
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.lastname: Najeeb-ur-Rehman
authors.forename: Anwarul-Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gilani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002217:Carbachol; D029974:Carum; D002368:Castor Oil; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012639:Seeds; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000930:Antidiarrheals; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002368:Castor Oil; D002217:Carbachol