ABORTIFACIENT ACTIVITY OF SOME NIGERIAN MEDICINAL-PLANTS

The abortifacient effects of five plant species commonly used by Niger ian traditional birth attendants to achieve relatively painless delive ry, hasten fetal delivery and evacuate retained placenta were investig ated. Aqueous extracts of the plants were prepared and screened pharma cologically using isolated smooth muscle preparations and pregnant ani mals. The extracts were also subjected to toxicological and phytochemi cal studies. The extracts contracted isolated uterine smooth muscle pr eparation and potentiated oxytocin-induced responses of the uterus. In the whole animal, the extracts caused expulsion of fetuses in the thi rd trimesters of pregnancy. These results appear to justify their trad itional uses.