Journal of Ethnopharmacology 1995-03-01

Isolation of cholinergic active ingredients in aqueous extracts of Mareya micrantha using the longitudinal muscle of isolated guinea-pig ileum as a pharmacological activity marker.

C S Tsai, F Guede-Guina, M O Smith, M Vangah-Manda, R F Ochillo

Index: J. Ethnopharmacol. 45(3) , 215-22, (1995)

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Abstract

In our attempt to isolate the pharmacologically active ingredients in the aqueous extracts of Mareya micrantha, we have selected the contractions of the longitudinal muscle of the isolated guinea-pig ileum preparation as a pharmacological marker to monitor retention of pharmacological activity during the chromatographic separation. The aqueous extracts of Mareya micrantha elicited concentration-dependent contractions of the preparation. The maximum response elicited by the aqueous extracts was 50% of the maximum response elicited by the maximum dose of acetylcholine (ACh), 10(-7) M. Mepenzolate (10(-8)-10(-5) M), a specific muscarinic receptor antagonist, similarly antagonized contractions elicited by the aqueous extracts suggesting that the cholinergic ingredient(s) in the extract are acting at the muscarinic receptors of the preparation. Fraction 2-4, which was separated from the aqueous extracts by Sephadex gel chromatography, dose-dependently elicited contractions of the preparation. The maximum response was 80% of the maximum response elicited by the maximum dose of ACh suggesting that separation has enhanced the cholinergic activity of the content in the extract.