Abstract
A 2% aqueous acetic acid extract of Alhagi maurorum powdered roots was examined for its pharmacological activity and showed the following results: (I) Administration of the extract intraperitoneally into mice decreased the body temperature in a dose dependent manner. The decreases ranged from 2.5 to 7.3 degrees C. (2) Treatment of the frog, rectus abdominis muscle with the extract in doses of 4 mg/ml bathing fluid did not antagonize Acetyl Coline (ACh) induced contraction. (3) Intraperitoneal administration of the extract into the anaesthetized rats decreased the heart rate by 10%. In addition, the extract depressed the force of contraction of the heart by 66.7%, thus, the extract seemed to be cardiac and a myocardial depressant. (4) The extract induced relaxations of the guinea-pig ureter and suppressed histamine-induced spasms. It seemed to possess a spasmolytic action and a ureter relaxing action that can enhance getting rid of renal stones and relieve of the accompanying pain. (5) The extract did not possess the property of enhancing dissolution of oxalate calculi. (C) 2010 King Saud University. All rights reserved.