Planta Med 2007; 73 - P_553
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-987333

Anticholinergic effect of Carum copticum on intestinal motility of rats

SH Hejazian 1, M Mahdavi 1, MH Dashti 1
  • 1Herbal Medicine Research Center, School of Medicine; University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

Objective: It has been reported that Carum copticum Benth. Hook f., a plant in the Umbelliferae family, has some anticholinergic and antihistaminic activities on tracheal smooth muscle [1]. However, these effects of C. copticum are not yet identified with respect to mechanical activities of isolated ileum. The present study has been designed to find out the specific effects of C. copticum fruit extract on cholinergic activity of the rat ileum.

Methods: In this study five pieces of isolated rat ileum were used for assessing the anticholinergic effects of alcoholic extracts of C. copticum fruit. using an organ bath and physiographic recording [2].

Results: Our findings showed that the maximum contractile response was obtained in the presence of 5×10–4 M acetyl choline. This contractile activity was reduced to 50 percent by pre-treating the specimens with 0.01mg extract/ml bath. This concentration of C. copticum extract by itself showed a relaxant effect on ileum specimens as compared with control base line. This relaxant effect was reversed by pre treating the specimens with atropine sulphate (5×10–6 M)

Conclusion: The results of this study indicated an anticholinergic property for the extract.

References: [1] Boskabady MH, Shaikhi J, (2000), J Ethnopharmacol., 69: 217–27. [2] Kiely JM, Noh JH,(2005) J Surg Res,124(1):98–103