Authors
Josephine OFEIMUN, Chidi Okafor, Enitome Evi Bafor, Christiana Viegelmann, RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, Fabian Amaechina, Buniyamin Adeshida Ayinde
Publication date
2023/9/30
Journal
African Journal of Biomedical Research
Volume
26
Issue
3
Pages
403-410
Description
Manniophyton fulvum is a herb with claimed anti-dysmenorrhea properties ascribed to the leaves in ethnomedicine. This study aimed to determine the effects of the methanol leaf extract and fractions on isolated mouse uterine contraction. Methanol extract of the leaf was obtained by Soxhlet extraction and partitioned into chloroform and water. The isolated and mounted mouse uterine tissues were treated with the extract, chloroform and aqueous fractions at a concentration range of 0.0007–7.777 µg/ml. The chloroform and aqueous fractions were equally tested on oxytocin and potassium chloride pre-contracted uterine tissue at a concentration range of 0.34–34.3 µg/mL. LC-HRFTMS analysis of methanol extract and the aqueous fraction was also carried out. The extract and aqueous fraction were observed to significantly (p< 0.05) increase the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous contractions in a concentration-dependent manner, while the chloroform fraction concentration-dependently inhibited similar contractions. The aqueous fraction potentiated oxytocin and potassium chloride augmented contractions in a similar manner, while the chloroform fraction significantly inhibited augmented contractions. The spectroscopic analysis identified eight and nine compounds in the methanol extract and aqueous fraction respectively, belonging to the coumarin, terpenoid, and flavonoid classes of natural compounds. Evidence from this study suggests that constituents responsible for uterine contraction are present in the polar (aqueous) fraction of the extract, while the non-polar fraction (chloroform) contains compounds with uterine relaxing effects.