Abstract:
Uterotonic plants have been used to augment labour, induce labour and for abortifacient purposes since ancient times. However, current conventional therapies used as terotonic agents in rural areas of developing countries to cause uterine contractions or in labour management are limited in terms of availability, their cost in terms of not being affordable and their preservation measures. They are also believed to produce some life disturbing side effects. These limitations associated with conventional treatments have made herbal medicines a feasible alternative for the management of these conditions. In turn this has led to the use of herbal plants to induce labour, enhance labour and for abortive purposes. Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in Tana River County of Kenya historically use Uvariodendron kirkii to induce or enhance labour, in post-partum haemorrhage management, and expel retained after birth. This study evaluated the contractile effects of Uvariodendron kirkii extracts on diethylstilboestrol primed isolated uterine strips of Wistar rats. Isolated strips of Wistar rats’ uteri were treated with 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg/ml concentrations of Uvariodendron kirkii aqueous extract. The plant extract concentrations were also tested against oxytocin and Prostaglandin F2α induced uterine contractions. In the absence or presence of oxytocin and Prostaglandin F2α, the effect on the frequency and amplitude of contraction was measured statistically using ANOVA. p- values < 0.05 were deemed significant. After exposure to the aqueous root bark extracts, all uteri displayed a heavy initial contraction across all concentrations. The extracts were able to specifically induce uterine tissue contractility and increase the response of the tissue to oxytocin and Prostaglandin F2α. The extract caused a dose dependent increase in uterine frequency and amplitude of contraction. The findings of this study are useful in generating a novel uterotonic agent that will be useful in augmenting labour or in expelling retained after birth. Uvaridendron kirkii aqueous extract showed oxytocic activity as it increased uterine contractions in a dose dependent manner, therefore, it is a potent uterotonic plant. In order to evaluate the active compound(s), potential modes of action and effectiveness of the plant extracts, more pharmacological studies are, however, needed
