Extraction and demonstration of uterotonic activity from the root of steganotaenia araliacea hochst

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Date
2017
Authors
Goma, F.M.
Ezeala, C.
Chuba, D.
Prashar, L.
Simfukwe, N.
Lengwe, C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Medical Journal of Zambia
Abstract
The root of Steganotaenia araliacea is used for assisting labour in folk medicine. Recent reports indicate that the root could possess uterotonic substances. The study aimed to evaluate three methods for the Roots of the plant were collected from Chongwe District of Zambia. The air-dried roots were size-reduced, and the powdered material extracted with hot ethanol, hot distilled water, and cold distilled water. The solvent extracts were concentrated and dried at 110 0C. Solutions of the hot aqueous and cold aqueous extracts were prepared in distilled water and used for organ bath experiments to demonstrate uterotonic activities using strips of pregnant rat uterus. The frequencies and amplitude of contractile forces were recorded. The amplitudes were plotted against log concentration of extract with GraphPad Prism software, and the EC50 values determined. Results revealed that the percentage yields were 31.3 % for the hot aqueous extract, 8.15 % for the ethanolic extract, and 3.27 % for the cold aqueous extract. The coldaqueous extract showed higher potency (EC50 of0.54 mg/ml) compared to the hot aqueous extract (EC50 of 2.09 mg/ml). It was Concluded that root extracts of S. araliacea possess demonstrable uterotonic effects. Extraction of the roots for this purpose could benefit from preliminary defatting with organic solvents, followed by successive extraction with hot and cold water.
Description
Extraction of uterotonic principles from the root of Steganotaenia araliacea growing in Zambia.
Keywords
Steganotaenia araliacea, Labour---Zambia , Uterotonic Substances---Zambia , Childbirth, Labour---Zambia
Citation
Goma, F.M., Ezeala, C., Chuba, D., Prashar, L., Simfukwe, N. and Lengwe, C. (2017). Extraction and demonstration of uterotonic activity from the root of steganotaenia araliacea hochst. Medical Journal of Zambia. 44 (2)