SPASMOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF CASUARINA EQUISETIFOLIA BARK EXTRACT

Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) is considered a medicinal plant and is traditionally used for the treatment of diarrhoea. Preliminary phytochemical screening of methanolic extract of the aerial bark revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, proteins, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids and tannins. The extract reduced contractions in isolated ileum induced by spasmogens like ACh, Histamine, KCl and BaCl2 and potentiated the effect of Nifedipine suggesting an antimuscarinic, antihistaminic and a calcium channel blocking action. Flavonoids and tannins present in the extract might be responsible for the observed antispasmodic effect and suggests multiple mechanisms, which can be exploited in future studies.