Evaluation of Antiasthmatic Effect of Aqueous Extract of Euphorbia Hirta and Lactuca Virosa on Ovalbumin and Ammonium Hydroxide Induced Asthma in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Euphorbia hirta and Lactuca virosa are both powerful medicinal plants that are used in ethnomedicine to treat diarrhea, bacterial infections, inflammation, asthma, pain, fungus, cancer, and malaria.The aim of this study is to evaluate the antiasthmatic effect of the aqueous extracts of Lactuca virosa and Euphorbia hirta on ovalbumin and ammonium hydroxide induced asthma in guinea pigs model using standard procedures after dividing animals into 8 groups of 4 animals each. Lungs and trachea were collected for histology. The result obtained shows that the leaves of Lactuca virosa and the whole plant of Euphorbia hirta increased the latency to preconvulsing time and reduced the trachea wall thickness when compared to the ovalbumin and aluminum hydroxide control (**p<0.01, *p<0.05). Hematology parameters were not affected (P<0.05). The extract increased the level of superoxide dismutase in the blood and tissues of the animals (P<0.01). Data obtained shows that the leaves of Lactuca virosa and the whole plant of Euphorbia hirta possess antiasthmatic properties.