Spasmolytic effects of artemisia afra and artemisia rehan in tissue preparations.

BACKGROUND: The genus Artemisia of Family Compositae (Asteracea) is widely used in many parts of the world as herbal remedies for a variety of illnesses. METHODOLOGY: Ethanol and aqueous extracts of powdered dried leaf and root of Artemisia afra and leaf of Artemisia rehan were tested on isolated mouse duodenum (MD) and guinea pig ileum (GPI). Different concentrations of each extract of the plants (ranging from 20-200 microg/ml) were tested in the presence of agonist control, acetylcholine (in MD) and histamine (in GPI) as contraction stimulators. RESULTS: Artemisia afra leaf ethanol (ALE) and Artemisia rehan leaf ethanol (RLE) significantly reduced both spontaneous rhythmic and agonist-induced contractions of MD and GPI. ALE and RLE caused mean contractile response of 44.3 +/- 0.9% (at a dose of 160 microg/ml) and 35 +/- 1.8% (at a dose of 120 microg/ml) respectively in isolated MD, and a mean contractile response of 60.9 +/- 2.7% and 43.5 +/- 2.7% respectively at maximal doses of 200 microg/ml in isolated GPI. CONCLUSION: The results in the present study indicate that the plants possess spasmolytic property and also support the traditional folk use of the aerial and root parts of the plants for stomach pains and intestinal cramps.