On the contractile response of fundus strip from rats to matrine, an alkaloidal component of Sophora flavescens.

The administration of matrine, which has antiulcerogenic activity against stress ulcer, exhibited clear contraction on the preparation of the fundus strip of rats at high concentration (from 2 X 10(-4) g/ml). The contractile response of the fundus strip to matrine was not inhibited by treatment with tetrodotoxin, and was not modified with atropine at 10(-4) g/ml, while pretreatment of the fundus strip with antihistamines abolished or reduced the contractile response. The maximum contractile response of the fundus strip was not altered significantly by pretreatment of the rat with indomethacin.