Phytochemical components of Hunteria umbellata (K. Schum) and its effect on isolated non-pregnant rat uterus in oestrus.

Hunteria umbellate plant is used by West African traditional midwives as phytomedicine in herbal remedies to treat pregnancy related ailment and most especially to augment or induce labour in gravid uterus. The purpose of this study was to investigate this claim with view to validating scientifically the ethno - medicinal usage. The phytochemical analysis of the crude medicinal plant extract revealed the presence of saponin, saponin glycosides, steroid, tannins, volatile oils, phenols and copious amount of alkaloids. The aqueous extract obtained by maceration technique was subjected to pharmacological testing in vitro on a piece of isolated rat uterus previously pretreated with stilbesterol, suspended in De Jalon at 37 degrees C and aerated with 95% Oxygen and 5% CO(2). The oxytocic activity of the aqueous pulp extract of the pulp of Hunteria umbellata was compared with uterine stimulant like oxytocin. The extract affected the contractility of the uterus significantly (P<0.05) in a dose dependent manner. The effect of 10mg/ml extract was blocked by 0.1 ml of 0.1mg/ml atropine. The extract also potentiated the response shown by various doses of oxytocin. This preliminary investigation revealed that Hunteria umbellata has oxytocic effect thus justifying the use by the traditional birth attendants.