Antispasmodic and Relaxant Effects of Thymus algeriensis Dichloromethane fraction on Intestinal Smooth Muscle Motility of Wistar rats

Abstract

Digestive disorders are common reasons for medical consultations, making natural remedies based on medicinal plants increasingly popular. This study explored the potential benefits of Thymus algeriensis on the motility of the smooth intestinal muscle to address digestive tract disorders. The study focused on an in vitro test using the rat jejunum to evaluate the antispasmodic and relaxant effects of its dichloromethane fraction. The results showed that the dichloromethane fraction caused a significant relaxing effect on spontaneous contraction and an antispasmodic effect on rat jejunum precontracted with carbachol or KCl in a dose-response manner (p ˂ 0.001). The inhibitory activity demonstrated was comparable to those produced by a non-competitive antagonist of voltage-dependent Calcium channel and cholinergic receptors. These findings highlight the potential of Thymus algeriensis dichloromethane fraction to address digestive disorders.