A mechanistic evaluation of the traditional uses of Nepeta ruderalis in gastrointestinal and airway disorders.
BACKGROUND
Nepeta ruderalis Buch.-Ham. (Lamiaceae), locally known as Badranj Boya, is an aromatic herb used traditionally as an antispasmodic, antidiarrhoeal, and anti-asthamatic remedy.


OBJECTIVE
Aqueous methanolic extract of N. ruderalis was studied to investigate its traditional uses.


METHODS
Study was conducted from September 2015 to February 2016. In vitro spasmolytic and broncho-relaxant activity of crude extract of N. ruderalis (whole plant) was evaluated at 0.01-10 mg/mL final bath concentration in isolated rabbit jejunum and tracheal tissues, using PowerLab data acquisition system (Transonic Systems Inc., Ithaca, NY). In vivo antidiarrhoeal activity was evaluated in castor oil-induced diarrhoeal mice at the dose of 300 and 500 mg of crude extract orally.


RESULTS
Crude extract of N. ruderalis completely relaxed spontaneously contracting, high K+(80 mM) and carbachol (1 μM) induced contracted jejunum with an EC50value of 5.85 (5.45-6.27), 4.0 (3.80-4.23) and 2.86 (2.48-3.29), similar to verapamil. Nr.Cr relaxed high K+and carbachol induced contractions, at 5 and 10 mg/mL with an EC50value of 2.37 (2.11-2.67) and 3.26 (2.9-3.67), respectively, and also displaced calcium concentration-response curves toward right at 0.1 and 0.3 mg/mL. Nr.Cr exhibited antidiarrhoeal protection at a dose of 300 and 500 mg/kg, similar to verapamil, whereas no acute toxicity signs were seen up to 5 g/kg in healthy mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Results suggest the presence of spasmolytic and broncho-relaxant effects in the crude extract of N. ruderalis, possibly mediated through calcium channel-blocking activity, providing the pharmacological basis for its traditional uses in gastrointestinal and airway disorders.
a Faculty of Pharmacy , The University of Lahore , Lahore , Pakistan.
Hassan
H
Mahmood
a Faculty of Pharmacy , The University of Lahore , Lahore , Pakistan.|b Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Sargodha , Sargodha , Pakistan.
Mueen Ahmad
MA
Chaudhry
a Faculty of Pharmacy , The University of Lahore , Lahore , Pakistan.
Zeeshan
Z
Masood
a Faculty of Pharmacy , The University of Lahore , Lahore , Pakistan.
Muhammad Asad
MA
Saeed
a Faculty of Pharmacy , The University of Lahore , Lahore , Pakistan.
Sherjeel
S
Adnan
D000818:Animals; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D027521:Nepeta; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D011817:Rabbits; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000930:Antidiarrheals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002217:Carbachol; D002118:Calcium
Spasmolytic; antidiarrhoeal; broncho-relaxant; calcium channel-blocking activity