Preliminary Investigation of the Oxytocic Action of an Aqueous Extract of Lagenaria breviflora Fruit

Abstract

The effects of an aqueous extract of Lagenaria breviflora Robert (Cucurbitaceae) fruit on pregnant and non-pregnant isolated rat uteri have been investigated.

The aqueous extract of L. breviflora fruit induced concentration-dependent, oxytocin-like contractions of the gravid and non-gravid isolated rat uteri. The extract-evoked contractions of the uterine strips examined were not modified by the standard antagonists used. The aqueous extract of L. breviflora fruit failed to contract the guinea-pig isolated ileum, whereas acetylcholine and histamine contracted this mammalian gastro-intestinal tract smooth muscle in a dose-related manner. The plausible pharmacological implications of these findings are discussed.