Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: 27-33
doi:10.2754/avb200776010027
Antitussive Activity of the Ethanolic Extract of Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae family) in Non-Anaesthetized Cats
G. Nosáľováa, J. Mokrýa, A. Atherb, M. T. H. Khanb,c
aDepartment of Pharmacology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Co<\h>menius University, Martin, Slovakia
bInternational Center for Chemical Sciences, H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan
cPharmacology Research Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Science and Technology Chittagong, Bangladesh
Received June 19, 2006
Accepted October 20, 2006
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to examine the antitussive activity of the ethanolic extract of Paederia foetida (P. foetida) in conscious cats by mechanical stimulation of laryngopharyngeal (LP) and tracheobronchial (TB) mucous areas of airways. The results showed that the ethanolic extract of P. foetida at the oral dose of 200 mg kg-1 b.w. had a cough-suppressive effect. It caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease of the number of cough efforts (NE) and frequency of cough (NE.min-1) from both LP and TB areas. The intensity of a cough attack was significantly decreased only during inspirium (IA-). Also a significant (p < 0.05) decrease was observed of the intensity of maximal effort in expirium (IME+) from TB area and inspirium (IME-) from both LP and TB areas. The antitussive activity of the ethanolic extract of P. foetida was lower than that of the classical narcotic antitussive drug - codeine, but similar to that of the non-narcotic antitussive agent dropropizine. The antitussive activity of the ethanolic extract of P. foetida may be connected with its previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity.
Keywords: Cough, antitussive activity, Paederia foetida, codeine, dropropizine, conscious cats
Address for correspondence:
MUDr. Juraj Mokrý, PhD.Department of Pharmacology
Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University
Sklabinská 26
037 53 Martin, Slovakia
Phone: +421 43 413 25 35
Fax: +421 43 413 48 07
E-mail: mokry@jfmed.uniba.sk