In-vitro Effect of Indomethacin on Uterine Muscle Contraction Stimulated by Acetone Leaf Extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the inhibitory contractile effect of indomethacin on uterine muscle contraction elicited by the acetone leaf extract of Anogeissus leiocarpus in-vitro in Wistar rats. Adult female rats weighing 180±30g were used for this study. The rats were humanely sacrificed and the uterus isolated. Approximately 1.5 cm of the uterus was attached to the stylus of the kymograph. Graded doses of A. leiocarpus were used to induce contraction and indomethacin was used to abate its contractile effect.  The study revealed that the acetone leaf extract of A. leiocarpus has the ability to induce contractions of isolated uterine muscle strips, in a concentration dependent manner with 0.53 mg/ml as the lowest active concentration. Atropine sulphate (2 μg/ml) significantly (P<0.05) attenuated contractions stimulated by acetylcholine (0.13 mg/ml) but had no effect on the extract mediated contractions. Indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthetase antagonist (0.05 mg/ml) was able, not only to abolish inherent spontaneous myometrial contractions but also the contractions induced by the extract. This study showed that A. leiocarpus has the ability to elicit uterine contraction through interactions with prostaglandin receptors and may be abortificient. It also revealed the antagonistic effect of indomethacin on uterine contractions elicited by A. leiocarpus.