Abstract
Background: Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant popular for it culinary uses. The aqueous leaf extract is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various diseases including asthma and cough. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-asthmatic, antitussive and muco-suppressant effects of the aqueous leaf extract (OGE) in rodent species. Methods: Ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs were exposed to 0.2% histamine aerosol in a glass chamber. Latency to preconvulsive dyspnea (PCD), tracheal fluid volume and viscosity were measured. For the antitussive screening, guinea pigs were exposed to 7.5% citric acid aerosol in a glass chamber and the bouts of cough pre and post-acute exposure were recorded. Mucus expectoration was estimated in mice after seven-day treatment with OGE. Results: Latency to preconvulsive dyspnea was not significantly increased by doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/ kg of OGE when compared with distilled water-treated sensitized guinea pigs. Tracheal fluid volume but not viscosity was significantly (p<0.0001) reduced by all the doses of OGE when compared with distilled water-treated sensitized guinea pigs. Also, the doses of OGE significantly reduced (p<0.0001) the number of cough bouts when compared with distilled water control. All the doses of extract significantly (p<0.003) reduced phenol red dye expectoration from mice tracheae. Conclusion: The aqueous leaf extract of O. gratissimum does not protect against acute bronchospasms but possesses antitussive and muco-suppressant effects that may be helpful in asthmatics. Central mechanism may be contributory to the antitussive effect. These results lend credence to its ethnomedicinal use in the treatment of these diseases.
Highlights
Herbal medicine remains relevant in meeting the healthcare needs of many people
We evaluated the anti-asthmatic and anti-tussive effects of the aqueous leaf extract of O. gratissimum in rodent species
Results from this study show that the aqueous leaf extract of O. gratissimum did not significantly increase the latency to preconvulsive dyspnea in guinea pigs exposed to histamine aerosol
Summary
Herbal medicine remains relevant in meeting the healthcare needs of many people. In Nigeria, about 80 percent of the population uses herbal medicine almost exclusively while about 95 per cent use it concurrently with Western medicine [1]. Asthma and cough are some of the diseases for which herbal medicines are often sought [3,4,5]. Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Lamiaceae) is a shrub found in Africa, South Asia, and South America [6]. It is variously called clove basil, African basil or wild basil [6]. In Benin City, Nigeria, the extract is used for the treatment of airway diseases such as cough and asthma. Ocimum gratissimum Linn (Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant popular for it culinary uses. The aqueous leaf extract is used in ethnomedicine for the treatment of various diseases including asthma and cough. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-asthmatic, antitussive and muco-suppressant effects of the aqueous leaf extract (OGE) in rodent species
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