PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS AND UTEROTONIC EFFECTS OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CALOTROPIS PROCERA LEAVES ON EXCISED UTERINE SEGMENTS OF ALBINO RATS

Shamaki, B. U*, William. A., Abdullahi, A and Sadiq, A. A.

ABSTRACT

The phytochemical screening and uterotonic effects of aqueous extract obtained from Calotropis precera leaves were investigated in attempt to evaluate its medicinal potentials. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of carbohydrates, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponin glycosides. Albino rats uterine segments were exposed to graded bath concentration of the aqueous extract of Calotropis procera leaves and the responses were recorded kymographycally at 37oC. The results revealed increase in amplitude of contraction with increase in concentration of the stock solution of the extract although the increase is not significant (p>0.05). Similarly, the oxytocin response shows gross increase with increasing concentration of the stock solution but also not significant (p>0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant variation (p0.05) between and among the mean responses of oxytocin and the aqueous extract of Calotropis procera leaves. In conclusion, this study suggests that aqueous extract of Calotropis procera have abortifatient effect by stimulating a spontaneous contraction on the myometrium.

Keywords: Uterotonic, Uterine segments, Calotropis procera, aqueous extract, Albino rats.