Nkiruka Philomena Okoye, Oto-Obong V IDah, Timothy Olugbenga Ogundeko, Modupe Builders and Kemakolam Amadi

Medicinal plants have been proven to be effective in the management of numerous ailments across the globe over the years. Many African plants have also been identified with gastrointestinal-relaxation properties. Albizia zygia is used traditionally to treat various illnesses, including those related to the digestive system. This study aimed to compare the antispasmodic effect of aqueous and crude leaf extracts of Albizia zygia (ALEAZ and CLEAZ) on an isolated rabbit jejunum. Aqueous and crude extracts of the plant material was prepared via Soxhlet extraction and maceration respectively. The antispasmodic effect was evaluated in vitro (37 ºC, pH 7.4 with continuous oxygenation). Both ALEAZ and CLEAZ caused spontaneous relaxation of the rabbit’s jejunum with a maximal effect at 0.2ml (0.15g/ml). This study further showed that the mechanism of action of the relaxation was not dependent on the muscarinic, histaminergic receptors nor through voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCs) blockade. These suggests that aqueous and crude leaf extracts of Albizia zygia have spasmolytic effect on isolated rabbit jejunum, thus authenticates its folkloric use in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

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