International Journal of Pharmacology1811-77751812-5700Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/ijp.2012.701.707Celtis africana and Underlying Mechanisms]]>KhanAslam RehmanNajeeb-ur- Al-TaweelAreej Mohammad PerveenShagufta FawzyGhada Ahmed GilaniAnwarul-Hassan 8201288This study describes the prokinetic, laxative and antidiarrheal activities of the aqueous-ethanol extract of Celtis africana (Ca.Cr) in mice, together with gut stimulatory and inhibitory activities using isolated gut preparations in an attempt to explore possible mechanisms of action. Ca.Cr, showed atropine-sensitive prokinetic and laxative activities in mice at low doses (30 and 100 mg kg-1), followed by antidiarrheal effect at next higher doses (300 and 1000 mg kg-1). In spontaneously contracting rabbit jejunum, Ca.Cr, showed a dose-dependent (0.03-3 mg mL-1) spasmogenic effect followed by spasmolytic effect at higher concentrations (5-10 mg mL-1). Activity-directed fractionation revealed that the atropine-sensitive spasmogenic component was concentrated in the aqueous fraction, while the spasmolytic component was separated in the organic fraction. When studied against the high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions, both Ca.Cr and Ca.Cl caused dose-dependent (0.01-5.0 mg mL-1) inhibition, later being more potent, while both shifted the Ca++ concentration response curves to the right, similar to verapamil. These data showed that the crude extract of C. africana possesses prokinetic, laxative and spasmodic activities mediated through muscarinic receptor activation concentrated in the aqueous fraction while, antidiarrheal and spasmolytic activities via Ca++ antagonist activity, separated in the chloroform fraction.]]>Koduru, S., D.S. Grierson and A.J. Afolayan,200792906908Krief, S., C.M. Hladik and C. Haxaire,2005101115Mokoka, T.A., L.J. McGaw and J.N. Eloff,2010Cryptococcus neoformans.]]>48397404Perveen, S., A.M. El-Shafae, A. Al-Taweel, G.A. Fawzy and A. Malik et al.,2011Celtis africana.]]>13799804Al-Taweel, A.M., S. Perveen, A.M. El-Shafae, G.A. Fawzy and A. Malik et al.,2012Celtis africana.]]>1726752682NRC,1996pp: 1-5pp: 1-5Mascolo, N., A.A. Izzo, G. Autore, F. Barbato and F. Capasso,1994263291295Najeeb-ur-Rehman, M.H. Mehmood, K.M. Alkharfy and A.H. Gilani,2011Lepidium sativum seed extract with species and tissue selective gut stimulatory actions.]]>134878883Shah, A.J., S. Begum, S.I. Hassan, S.N. Ali, B.S. Siddiqui and A.H. Gilani,2011Psidium guajava leave in hyperactive gut disorders.]]>6100105Brown, J.H. and P. Taylor,20062006pp: 183-200pp: 183-200Gilani, A.H., F. Shaheen, A. Christopoulos and F. Mitchelson,1997Fritillaria imperialis, at two muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.]]>60535544Jabeen, Q., N. Aziz, Z. Afzal and A.H. Gilani,2007Lavandula stoechas are mediated through muscarinic receptor stimulation and calcium channel blockade.]]>36167Mehmood, M.H., N. Aziz, M.N. Ghayur and A.H. Gilani,20115614601471Mehmood, M.H., A. Rehman, Najeeb-ur-Rehman and A.H. Gilani,20122012Ghayur, M.N. and A.H. Gilani,20055018891897Najeeb-ur-Rehman, M.H. Mehmood, K.M. Alkharfy and A.H. Gilani,2012Lepidium sativum crude extract in rats.]]>26136141Gilani, A.H., S. Bashir, K.H. Janbaz and A. Khan,2005Fumaria indica in constipation and diarrhea.]]>96585589Gilani, A.H. and Atta-ur-Rahman,20051004349Taqvi, S.I.H., T.M. Aftab, N.M. Ghayur, H.A. Gilani and S.Z. Saify,20062146151Gilani, A.H., S. Bashir, K.H. Janbaz and A.J. Shah, 2005Hibiscus rosasinensis in constipation and diarrhoea.]]>102289294Gilani, A.H., N. Aziz, M.A. Khan, F. Shaheen, Q. Jabeen, B.S. Siddiqui and J.W. Herzig,2000Lavandula stoechas L.]]>71161167Bolton, T.B.,197959606718Godfraind, T., R. Miller and M. Wibo,198638321416Pasricha, P.J.,20062006pp: 983-1008pp: 983-1008Fleckenstein, A.,197717149166