title: In vivo antitussive activity of a pectic arabinogalactan isolated from Solanum virginianum L. in Guinea pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Solanum virginianum L. is used for the management of fever, bronchial asthma and cough for thousands of years. While the link to a particular indication has been established in human, the active principle of the formulation remains unknown. Herein, we have investigated a polysaccharide isolated from its leaves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Utilizing traditional aqueous extraction protocol and using chemical, chromatographic, spectroscopic and biological methods we have analysed an antitussive pectic arabinogalactan isolated from its leaves.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The water extracted polymer (WEP) is a highly branched arabinogalactan containing, inter alia, (1,3)-, (1,6)- and (1,3,6)-linked β-Galp residues, terminal-, (1,5)- and (1,3,5)-linked units of α-Araf together with (1,2)- and (1,2,4)-linked Rhap. In vivo investigation on the citric-acid induced cough efforts in guinea pigs shows that the antitussive activity of the orally administered pectic arabinogalactan is greater than codeine phosphate. Remarkably, this macromolecule neither altered specific airway smooth muscle reactivity significantly nor it induced considerable change on levels of NO in expiratory flow in guinea pigs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, traditional aqueous extraction method provides a molecular entity, which induces antitussive activity without addiction: this could represent an attractive approach in phytotherapeutic management.
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India.
authors.forename: Washim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Raja
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Sklabinska 26, 03601 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nosalova
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India.
authors.forename: Kanika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Sklabinska 26, 03601 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sivova
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine and Martin University Hospital, Kollárova 2, 03601 Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Slavomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nosal
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of Burdwan, West Bengal 713 104, India. Electronic address: bimalendu_ray@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Bimalendu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000996:Antitussive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003061:Codeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005685:Galactans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D032322:Solanum; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000996:Antitussive Agents; D005685:Galactans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C005653:arabinogalactan; D003061:Codeine
keywords: Antitussive activity; Pectic arabinogalactan; Solanum virginianum L.; Specific airway resistance