ASSESSMENT OF CONTRACTILE EFFECT OF TREMA ORIENTALE (CANNABACEAE) ROOT BARK EXTRACTED WITH METHANOL ON UTERUS OF NON-PREGNANT RAT

Abstract

Charcoal-tree, Trema orientale (L.) Blume (Cannabaceae) (syn. T. orientalis) has a range of uses in African traditional medicine such as the treatment of respiratory ailments, gonorrhea, yellow fever, and toothache, while the root bark is used traditionally to induce labour. This study evaluated the possible contractile effect of methanol (MeOH) crude extract of the root bark of T. orientale on the isolated uterus of oestrogenised non-pregnant female rats suspended in physiological salt solution (PSS).  The effect of MeOH extract (0.2-4.0 mg/mL) on spontaneous uterine tissue contraction in physiological salt solution (PSS) was determined. Similarly, 1.0 mg/mL extract was tested on uterine tissues pre-contracted with oxytocin (6.7 µg/mL) in PSS and in the calcium-free medium. Finally, tissue was precontracted with high KCL concentration (80 mM, 1 mg/mL) followed by adding extract (10 mg/mL). Amplitude and frequency of contraction were measured in all cases. Extract elicited dose-dependent increases in amplitude (0.347 – 1.252 gr) and frequency (8 – 19 peaks/min) of spontaneous uterine contraction. For the oxytocin pre-contracted uteri in normal PSS and calcium-free-PSS, as well as high KCL concentration-induced contraction, decreases in amplitude and frequency of contractions were recorded, suggesting the plant did not potentiate the effects of these agonists. Trema orientale root bark methanol extract demonstrated tocolytic properties on a preliminary basis, not contractile.