Falodun A, Nworgu Z A M, Ikponmwonsa M O
Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
Pak J Pharm Sci. 2006 Jul;19(3):256-8.
Hunteria umbellate plant is used by West African traditional midwives as phytomedicine in herbal remedies to treat pregnancy related ailment and most especially to augment or induce labour in gravid uterus. The purpose of this study was to investigate this claim with view to validating scientifically the ethno - medicinal usage. The phytochemical analysis of the crude medicinal plant extract revealed the presence of saponin, saponin glycosides, steroid, tannins, volatile oils, phenols and copious amount of alkaloids. The aqueous extract obtained by maceration technique was subjected to pharmacological testing in vitro on a piece of isolated rat uterus previously pretreated with stilbesterol, suspended in De Jalon at 37 degrees C and aerated with 95% Oxygen and 5% CO(2). The oxytocic activity of the aqueous pulp extract of the pulp of Hunteria umbellata was compared with uterine stimulant like oxytocin. The extract affected the contractility of the uterus significantly (P<0.05) in a dose dependent manner. The effect of 10mg/ml extract was blocked by 0.1 ml of 0.1mg/ml atropine. The extract also potentiated the response shown by various doses of oxytocin. This preliminary investigation revealed that Hunteria umbellata has oxytocic effect thus justifying the use by the traditional birth attendants.
西非传统助产士将伞花萝芙木植物用作草药中的植物药，用于治疗与怀孕相关的疾病，尤其是增强或诱导妊娠子宫的分娩。本研究的目的是调查这一说法，以便从科学上验证其民族药用用途。对这种粗制药用植物提取物的植物化学分析表明，其含有皂苷、皂苷糖苷、类固醇、单宁、挥发油、酚类和大量生物碱。通过浸渍技术获得的水提取物，在体外对一片预先用己烯雌酚预处理过的离体大鼠子宫进行药理测试，该子宫悬浮在37摄氏度的德拉扬溶液中，并用95%氧气和5%二氧化碳通气。将伞花萝芙木果肉的水提取物的催产活性与催产素等子宫兴奋剂进行比较。提取物以剂量依赖的方式显著影响子宫的收缩性（P<0.05）。10mg/ml提取物的作用被0.1ml的0.1mg/ml阿托品阻断。提取物还增强了不同剂量催产素所显示的反应。这项初步研究表明，伞花萝芙木有催产作用，因此证明了传统助产人员使用该植物药的合理性。
