Effect of alcoholic extract of ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) on mechanical activity of isolated jejunum of male rat

Introduction: The ginger rhizome has been widely used in traditional medicine for treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. In the present study the effect of ginger alcoholic extract on mechanical activity of isolated jejunum of male rats and also its interaction with cholinergic, adrenergic and Nitrergic systems were investigated. Methods: Seven adult male Wistar rats were anesthetized by ethyl ether, their abdomen opened, and jejunum dissected and divided into 1 cm strips. The strips were divided to experimental and control groups, and placed in organ baths containing oxygenated, 37˚C, pH=7.4 Tyrode’s solution connected to a force transducer which was linked to AD Instrument power lab. In the experimental group, 0.475 mg/mL alcoholic ginger extract and in the control group solvent was added to the organ bath. Then mechanical activity of the strips in each group was recorded before and after administration of acetyl choline (as cholinergic agonist), phenylephrine (as α-adrenergic agonist), isoproterenol (as β- adrenergic agonist), propranolol (as β-adrenergic antagonist) and L-NAME (as nitric oxide synthase blocker). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS and independent-sample t-test at P≤0.05 as significance level. Results: A significant (p<0.05) decrease in mechanical activity was found after administration of alcoholic ginger extract compared with the control group, which was not reversed after acetyl choline administration. Also, no change was detected after administration of phenylephrine, isoproterenol, propranolol and L-NAME. Conclusion: This study showed that alcoholic extract of ginger has modifying effect on intestinal motility that is partly related to the cholinergic system and possibly independent of the adrenergic and nitrergic systems.