The Prokinetic, Laxative, and Antidiarrheal Effects of Morus nigra: Possible Muscarinic, Ca2+ Channel Blocking, and Antimuscarinic Mechanisms

Morus nigra Linn. (black mulberry) is used in gastrointestinal ailments. This study demonstrates gut modulatory properties of M. nigra. The prokinetic, laxative, and antidiarrheal activities of M. nigra were assessed in mice, while isolated rabbit jejunum and guinea‐pig ileum were used to explore in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytotherapy research 2016-08, Vol.30 (8), p.1362-1376
Main Authors: Akhlaq, Anam, Mehmood, Malik Hassan, Rehman, Abdul, Ashraf, Zohaib, Syed, Sadia, Bawany, Samira Ahmed, Gilani, Anwarul-Hassan, Ilyas, Maimoona, Siddiqui, Bina Shaheen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
black mulberry
constipation
diarrhea
gut modulatory
prokinetic
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Morus nigra Linn. (black mulberry) is used in gastrointestinal ailments. This study demonstrates gut modulatory properties of M. nigra. The prokinetic, laxative, and antidiarrheal activities of M. nigra were assessed in mice, while isolated rabbit jejunum and guinea‐pig ileum were used to explore insight into mechanism(s). At 30 and 70 mg/kg, the crude extract of M. nigra (Mn.Cr) exhibited atropine‐sensitive prokinetic and laxative effects, similar to carbachol (CCh). While at higher doses (100, 300, and 500 mg/kg), Mn.Cr offered protection against castor oil‐induced diarrhea. In rabbit jejunum, Mn.Cr and its chloroform fraction inhibited CCh‐induced contractions more potently compared with high K+ (80 mm). Conversely, petroleum fraction was more potent against high‐K+‐induced contractions. At 0.01 mg/mL, Mn.Cr caused a parallel shift in acetylcholine concentration–response curves (CRCs) followed by a non‐parallel shift at 0.03 mg/mL, similar to dicyclomine. At further tested concentrations, Mn.Cr (0.1 and 0.3 mg/mL) and petroleum fraction suppressed Ca2+ CRCs, similar to verapamil. In guinea‐pig ileum, Mn.Cr, its aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions exhibited atropine‐sensitive gut stimulant activity along with additional uncharacterized excitatory response in the aqueous fraction only. These results suggest that black mulberry possesses prokinetic, laxative, and antidiarrheal effects, putatively mediated through cholinomimetic, antimuscarinic, and Ca2+ antagonist mechanisms, respectively. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ISSN:0951-418X
1099-1573
DOI:10.1002/ptr.5641