title: Antibacterial and antispasmodic activities of a dichloromethane fraction of an ethanol extract of stem bark of Piliostigma reticulatum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study presents the antispasmodic and antibacterial properties of an ethanol extract and fractions the of stem bark of Piliostigma reticulatum.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antispasmodic effects of the extract and its fractions were performed on isolated rabbit duodenum. The antibacterial properties were determined as minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentration of the extract and fractions of P. reticulatum on susceptible and resistant strains of Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae and Salmonella tiphymurium.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ethanol extract of P. reticulatum and fractions (except for heptane) produced concentration-dependent relaxant effects on isolated duodenum preparations. The IC50 of the extract and dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, butanol and aqueous fractions are 0.88452, 0.2453, 0.2909, 0.3946 and 0.3231 mg/ml respectively. The extract was found to significantly antagonize acetylcholine-induced contraction. The susceptible strains E. coli and V. cholerae were the most inhibited by the dichloromethane fraction at 60 mg/mL, as shown by their diameter of inhibition of 13.2 ± 0.76 and 13.3 ± 0.67 mm respectively. Conversely, the dichloromethane fraction, the most active antibacterial fraction, did not inhibit the resistant strains S. dysenteriae and S. tiphymurium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that P. reticulatum stem bark possesses spasmolytic and antibacterial properties and this may contribute to its traditional medicinal use for the treatment of diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana ; Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Phytotherapy, UFR-SN, University of Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Benoit Banga
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: N'Guessan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Phytotherapy, UFR-SN, University of Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Kassim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dosso
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Phytotherapy, UFR-SN, University of Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Boua Narcisse
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Gnangoran
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amoateng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Isaac Julius
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Asiedu-Gyekye
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Phytotherapy, UFR-SN, University of Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Angoue Paul
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yapo
keywords: Antibacterial; Piliostigma reticulatum; diarrhea; spasmolytic effects