PRELIMINARY SCREENING OF PLANTS USED IN SOUTH-AFRICA AS TRADITIONAL HERBAL REMEDIES DURING PREGNANCY AND LABOR

Agapanthus africanus, Pentanisia prunelloides and Gunnera perpensa are indigenous plants which are used in traditional herbal remedies durin g pregnancy and childbirth. A crude decoction of each plant was tested on isolated rat uterus and ileum for pharmacological activity. Agapan thus africanus and Pentanisia prunelloides exhibited direct smooth mus cle activity on the uterus and ileum preparations, while Gunnera perpe nsa showed direct smooth muscle activity on the uterus only. All the p lant extracts potentiated the initial response of the uterus to oxytoc in but Pentanisia prunelloides reduced the maximum response of the ute rus to oxytocin. The Agapanthus africanus and Pentanisia prunelloides extracts potentiated the initial response of the ileum to acetylcholin e but all the plant extracts inhibited the maximum response of the ile um to acetycholine. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.