Pharmacological screening of medicinal plants (II).

This work deals with the effects of the alcoholic extracts of 15 plants (collected from the northern region of Pakistan) on isolated guinea-pig ileum preparation. Dried powdered plant material was extracted with alcohol. The extract obtained after the removal of the alcohol was triturated with pet-ether (40-60°) and then charcoaled, filtered and dried under vacuum. The isolated guinea-pig ileum preparation was set up in an organ bath of 10 ml capacity containing exygenated Tyrode solution. A 10 mg/ml solution/suspension of the extract (in distilled water) was added to the bath in 100-800 ug/mI concentrations. Those extracts which did not produce a spasmogenic effect, were tested for antispasmogenic action against acetyicholine. The extract of Cleome brachycarpa, Fagonia cretica and linum usitatissimum produced spasmogenic effect. The extracts of Asperugo procumbens, Capparis decidua, Cichorium intybus, Cnicus arvensis, Euphorbia hirta, Equisetum arvense, Eugenia jambolana, Forsskalea tenacissima, Onosma echiodes, Peganum harmala, Prospopis glandulosa and Ranunnculus acetylcholine (JPMA 33: 136, 1983). muricatus antagonized the spasmogenic effect of acetylcholine (JPMA 33: 136, 1983).