Antispasmodic and Antidiarrheal Effect of Hippeastrum puniceum; Involvement of Antimuscarinic and Calcium Antagonism Pathways

Abstract

Hippeastrum puniceum has been distributed worldwide, possesses spasmolytic activity, and is used for treating asthma and other ailments. This study was conducted to rationalize its spasmolytic activity and antiasthmatic uses. After the phytochemical screening, the plant extract was analyzed by using different ex-vivo and in-vivo techniques. For the evaluation of the spasmolytic effect, the extract was applied to isolated rabbit jejunum, rat ileum, and rabbit trachea suspended in an organ bath. Castor oil-induced diarrhea and charcoal meal transit test models were used to study the extract's antidiarrheal and gut inhibitory effect. Crude extract of H. puniceum (Hp.Cr) and its dichloromethane fraction (Hp.DCM) showed spasmolytic effects on isolated rabbit jejunum and trachea. To explore the mechanism of the spasmolytic effect, concentration-response curves of Carbachol and calcium were framed, and it was found that the spasmolytic effect may be due to the antagonism of muscarinic receptors and calcium channels. In addition, significant dose-dependent diarrheal protection and inhibition of gastrointestinal motility were observed. These results indicate that H. puniceum possesses spasmolytic, tracheorelaxant, antidiarrheal, gut motility inhibitory activities mediated by muscarinic receptor and calcium channel antagonism.