Quansah Nat

The anti ulcer activity of the hydro alcoholic extract of the leaves of Acridocarpus excelsus was studied in vivo using WISTAR rats. This study investigated the extract’s effect on gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin orally administered at the dose of 30mg/kg, acid secretion by pylorus ligation and mucus secretion. The results obtained showed that ulceration provoked by the indomethacin on the gastric mucosa surface was reduced from 13.12 ± 0.96 mm2 found inthe control group to 8.15± 0.12 mm2, 2.87 ± 0.41 mm2  and  1.25 ± 0.05 mm2 respectively in the rats treated with the extract at doses 150 mg/kg, 300 mg/kg and 600mg/kg (p

The anti-asthmatic activity of Ficus trichopoda was studied in guinea pigs in vivo and in vitro using the isolated guinea pig trachea. 33%, 66% and 100% of the animals treated with the hydroalcoholic extract of Ficus trichopoda at doses 100mg/kg, 200mg/kg and 300mg/kg respectively, were protected from spasm of the air way caused by pulverization of 5% histamine aerosol. In vitro, the isolated guinea pig trachea contracted with histamine at 10-4 M was relaxed with the extract with an EC50 of 65.75µl/ml. The pre-incubation of the isolated trachea in the bath containing the extract at concentrations of 100µl/ml and 200µl/ml increased the EC50 of histamine from (1.10. ± 0.025) 10-6 M to (5.95±0.05) 10-6 M and (1.49±0.01) 10-5M respectively. The maximal contraction provoked by histamine, however, remained unchanged. These effects could be caused by the alkaloids and/or flavonoids present in the extract. Key words: Ficus trichopoda, asthma, guinea pig