Abstract
This study investigated the effect of artemether on smooth muscle contractility to drugs in non-pregnant female wistar rats. The effect of artemether (2.1x10-6 to 2.1x10-2) on isolated uterine and ileum muscle strips was studied using sixteen (16) mature female Wister rats (160 -190g) mounted on organ baths. The study further investigated the effect of artemether on sub-acute histopathological examination of the ileum using standard in vivo procedures in mice models. Data obtained from the study were represented on table, graph and photomicrographs. The results of this study revealed that artemether (2.1x10-6 to 2.1x10-2 ) alone did not produce contractile responses, but caused significant inhibition on contractile responses induced by acetylcholine ( 4x10-5 to 4x10- 1M) on isolated ileal smooth muscle tissue in rats in a dose dependent manner (p<0.05); also artemether significantly inhibited the contractions induced by oxytocin 8x10-10 to 1x10-6 I.U.) and barium chloride ( 8x10-6 to 8x10-2 mg/ml ) on uterine smooth muscle strips in rats in a dose dependent manner; with Emax of 13.5 ± 0.2 and 12.6 ±. 0.4 mm respectively, all the observed results were independent of tissue species variation. (p<0.05- 0.01). This study revealed that artemether exhibited no adverse effect on the non-pregnant uterus and the rat ileum, hence its safety in the treatment of malaria, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
Highlights
Malaria is a tropical disease, which is transmitted by anopheles mosquitoes
The result of this study shows that artemether at a concentration of 2.1x10-6 to 2.1x10-2 g/ml produced no significant contractile response on the isolated smooth muscles being investigated within 30- 45 minutes of drug contact in the organ bath containing the appropriate physiological solution
Artemether alone at a concentration of 2.1x10-2 g/ml produced no contractile responses on the isolated uterine muscle strip within 30 to 45 minutes of drug contact in the organ bath containing Dejalon’s solution
Summary
Malaria is a tropical disease, which is transmitted by anopheles mosquitoes. World malaria reports indicate that there were 219 million cases of malaria globally in 2019 and 438,000 malaria deaths [1]. Artemisinin and its derivatives (artemether, arteether, artesunate and dihydroartemisinin) present a new series of antimalarial drugs with a high level of activity against chloroquine resistant strains of malaria parasite [4]. The World Health Organization currently recommends artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria, which has resulted in an increase in the use of artemisinins [5]. Treatment of malaria with artemisinins has been implicated with various adverse effects including that of muscle weakness, malaise, vomiting, diarrhea etc. Some of these effects are on smooth muscles activities
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