Comparison of phytochemicals and bioactivity of herbal medicines used for induction of labour in Kagera and Njombe in Tanzania

Abstract

Background: The use of medicinal plants in Africa and in many developing countries has led to increased interest by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote extensive studies on medicinal plants (local herbs). Many studies conducted in Africa have shown that Traditional Birth Attendants use the local herbs for management of labour and related complications such as; prolonged labour, retained placenta and post-partum hemorrhage. Broad objective: To compare phytochemical constituents and bioactivity of herbal medicines used for induction of labour from Kagera and Njombe Tanzania. Materials and methods: This was an experimental study design where the uterotonic effects of extracts of Comelina africana and Biophytum helenae from two regions of Tanzania namely; Njombe and Kagera were assessed. Oxytocin was used as the positive control and physiological saline solution (PSS) was used as negative control. Dried plant materials were macerated with 80% ethanol in water at room temperature to get crude extracts. Uterotonic effects of crude extracts were determined as the average effect of uterine contraction using tissue bath technique. Results: from Kagera and that from Njombe with p= 0.7 for C. africana and p= 0.9 for B. helenae The phytochemical screening showed presence of; saponins and cardiac glycosides which play a role in uterine contraction. Determination of the uterotonic effect showed that C. africana from Kagera induced contraction with minimum effect of 27.2% and maximum effect of 95. 8% while C. africana from Njombe induced 31.3% minimum and 82.5% maximum effect. Extracts of B. helenae from Kagera induced 28.1% minimum effect and 97.3% and B. helenae Njombe with 29.2% and 94.8%. On analysis using t – test there were no significance difference between plants of the same species Conclusion: The plant extract of C. africana and B. helenae from Kagera and Njombe demonstrated dose dependent uterotonic effect. The plant extract of C. africana and B, helenae contains the following phytochemical groups, saponins, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, phytosterols, phenols, tannins and tarpenoids phytochemical groups in C. africana and B. helenae from Kagera and Njombe as well. The plant extracts also use the following receptors to induce uterine contractions oxytocin receptor (OTR), cholinergic receptor (ChR),adrenergic receptor (ADR) and endotheline receptor (ETR). However, there was no statistical difference in phytochemicals and uterotonic effects between the plants of the same species from Kagera and Njombe, Tanzania.