Contractile effect of some extracts from the leaves of Musanga cecropioides (Cecropiaceae) on uterine smooth muscle of the rat

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Abstract
Portions of the hot water extract, chloroform and n‐butanol fractions of the leaves of Musanga cecropioïdes were used to challenge uterine strips from nonpregnant and early stage pregnant (3–8 days) female Wistar rats. Uterine strips were obtained from oestrogenized females. The aqueous and n‐butanol extracts (10 mg/L showed very marked uterotonic effects which were more pronounced in the pregnant females. These contractile effects were dose‐dependent and comparable to oxytocin and acetylcholine (100 μg/mL) but were all antagonized by ethanol, a potent Ca2t channel antagonist. These effects may account for the abortifacient properties of the extracts observed in previous in vivo trials.