Pharmacological studies of Striga senegalensis Benth (Scrophulariaceae) as an abortifacient. Phytotheraphy

Abstract

The methanol extract of Striga senegalensis Benth (Scrophulariaceae) was investigated on isolated rat uterus. Acetylcholine and the methanol extract of the plant produced dose related contractions of smooth muscle of the isolated rat uterus in vitro. Atropine in doses of 2 × 10−2 to 32 × 10−2 μg/mL antagonized dose dependently the contraction of the isolated rat uterus produced by both acetylcholine (1.6 × 10−1 μg/mL) and the methanol extract (160 μg/mL).