Antispasmodic effect of Jatropha gossypiifolia is mediated through dual blockade of muscarinic receptors and Ca2+ channels

The antispasmodic activity of Jatropha gossypiifolia L., Euphorbiaceae, aerial parts was investigated in rodents using the mouse intestinal transit model and acetylcholine (ACh, 10-9 to 10-4 M) and calcium (CaCl2, 10-4 to 10-1 M)-induced contractions of isolated rat jejunum. Similar to atropine (1 mg/kg), oral doses of ethanolic extract (EE) of J. gossypiifolia (500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg) produced a decrease in intestinal transit (37.6 to 57.1%) when compared with control. The ACh-induced contraction in the jejunum was inhibited by EE (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL), chloroformic (CF) and aqueous frac...