Pharmacological Effects ofLactuca serriolaL. in Experimental Model of Gastrointestinal, Respiratory, and Vascular Ailments

Abstract

Lactuca serriola L. has traditionally been used in folkloric medicine to manage respiratory, gastrointestinal, and multiple other ailments. The present study was undertaken to explore the effect of methanol extract of L. serriola on isolated rabbit tissue preparations, that is, jejunum, trachea, and aorta in an attempt to validate its folkloric use in traditional medicine for gastrointestinal, respiratory, and vascular ailments. The application of the methanol extract to isolated rabbit jejunum preparations exhibited concentration-dependent spasmogenic effect (0.03 to 3.0 mg/mL), but interestingly further increase in concentration (5.0 mg/mL) resulted in complete spasmolytic effect. The pretreatment of the tissue preparations with atropine (0.1 μM) caused the suppression of the contractile response. Moreover, the same extract also caused relaxation of K+-(80 mM) induced spastic contractions of isolated rabbit jejunum preparations (5.0 mg/mL) and shifted the Ca++ dose response curves towards right at concentration range of 0.3–1.0 mg/mL. Similarly, the extract application to isolated rabbit tracheal preparations relaxed the carbachol-(1 μM) induced (0.3–1.0 mg/mL) as well as K+-(80 mM) induced contractions (3.0 mg/mL). Furthermore, it relaxed the phenylephrine (1 μM)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit aorta preparations (3.0 mg/mL) and K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions (1.0 mg/mL). These effects were found comparable to that of dicyclomine, as an antagonist of muscarinic receptors as well as a possible Ca++ channel blocker. The previously mentioned findings may partially justify the folkloric use of Lactuca serriola in the management of conditions pertaining to spasm of intestine, bronchioles, and vasculature.

Pharmacological evaluation of <i>Dactyloctenium aegyptium</i>: An indigenous plant used to manage gastrointestinal ailments

“…The spasmogenic response on the part of Da.Cr may possibly due to the presence of some cholinergic muscarinic constituent(s) (Brown and Taylor., 1996), which was confirmed further as pretreatment of isolated rabbit jejunum preparations with atropine (0. The D. aegyptium induced spasmolytic activity was speculated to be due to the presence of Ca ++ channel blocking activity (Janbaz et al, 2013a), since increase in free cytoplasmic Ca ++ concentrations is essential for activation of contractile elements in smooth muscle preparations (Karaki and Weiss, 1983), due either by influx through the L-type voltage-dependant Ca ++ channels (VDCs) or release from intracellular Ca ++ stores in sarcoplasmic reticulum (Godfraind et al, 1986). The periodic depolarization followed by repolarization is responsible for spontaneous activity in isolated rabbit jejunum preparation.…”

Antispasmodic activity of <i>Symplocos paniculata</i> is mediated through opening of ATP-dependent K+ channel

“…The tissues were repeatedly treated with sub-maximal dose (0.3 µM) of acetylcholine and subsequent washing with fresh Tyrode's solution. The isolated rabbit jejunum preparations exhibit spontaneous rhythmic contractions on which relaxant effect of the test material can be demonstrated without application of an agonist (Janbaz et al, 2013;Saqib et al, 2012). …”

“…On the other hand, the possible relaxation of high K + (80 mM)-induced contractions following test material application to isolated rabbit jejunum preparations was reported to be mediated through blockade of Ca 2+ channels ( Janbaz et al, 2013) …”

Acute Toxicity (Lethal Dose 50 Calculation) of Herbal Drug Somina in Rats and Mice

“…Anticonvulsant [5] and analgesic activity [6] of Papaver somniferum were cited in the literature. Lactuca serriola was found to possess spasmogenic, spasmolytic, bronchodilator, and vasorelaxant activities [7]. Since ancient times Lagenaria vulgaris has been utilized for treatment of jaundice, diabetes, ulcer, piles, colitis, hypertension and skin diseases [8].…”