Pharmacological Studies on a Nigerian Herbal Preparation: I. Cardiovascular Actions of Cow's Urine Concoction (CUC) and its Individual Components

Abstract

Some cardiovascular actions of cow's urine concoction (CUC) and its individual components have been investigated in vivo in experimental animals. The entire concoction (CUC) produced biphasic (depressor and pressor) effects on systemic arterial blood pressure of anaesthetized laboratory animals, and at relatively high doses, contracted the nictitating membrane of anaesthetized cats. Tobacco leaves (one of the major constituents of CUC) extract induced pressor or biphasic (pressor and depressor) responses, and contracted the cat nictitating membrane at relatively medium to high concentrations. On the other hand, most of the other components of CUC (for example, Ocimum basilicum, Allium sativum. Allium cepa. Allium ascabricum, and Citrus limon extracts) produced depressor responses in all the anaesthetized animals used. CUC and its individual components induced variable changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) of the laboratory animals examined. Cervical bilateral vagotomy, atropinization, or mepyramine pre-treatment modified some of the cardiovascular changes evoked by CUC and its individual components. The plausible pharmacological implications of these findings are discussed.