Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gombe State University, Gombe, Nigeria.

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria.

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.
Cisplatin , Copper sulphate ,Emesis ,Retches ,Terminalia avicennioides ,Chicks ,

Terminalia avicennioides(TA)is used to treat emesis and other gastrointestinal disorders in Northern Nigeria. Current study was designed to investigate TA for potential antiemetic effect in copper sulphate and cisplatin-induced vomiting model in chicks. Qualitative Phytochemical screening was conducted and acute oral toxicity test of the methanol root bark extract of T.avicennioides was carried out using OECD 425, 2001. Emesis was induced by oral administration of copper sulphate (60 mg/kg) and intraperitoneal cisplatin (10 mg/kg) to young chicks (150-170 g, 4-7 days old). The anti-emetic activity was determined by calculating the mean decrease in number of retching in the extract-treated chicks at doses of 150, 300 and 600 mg/kg. The effect of the extract on apomorphine-induced pecking in chicks was also assayed to determine the probable pathway involved in the extract’s antiemetic action. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the methanol root bark extract of Terminalia avicennioides revealed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, tannins, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, terpenes and triterpenes. The oral median lethal dose (LD50) of the extract was estimated to be greater than 2000 mg/kg in chicks. The extract produced a dose-dependent significant inhibition of retching (p< 0.001) (54.12, 59.70 and 73.78 % inhibition of retches) in the copper sulphate induced emesis, with the 600 mg/kg dose of extract inhibiting retches comparable to domperidone but better than metoclopramide. Whereas, cisplatin induced emesis was significantly (p< 0.001) reduced by 84.52, 83.33 and 72.62 % respectively in inverse-dose dependent manner; the effect of the extract at150 and 300 mg/kg was comparable to metoclopramide but less than ondansetron (90.0 %). Extract of T. avicennioides significantly (p< 0.001) decreased apomorphine induced retches dose dependently in chicks. This study shows that methanol root bark extract of Terminalia avicennioides is considered to be safe and possess phytochemical constituents responsible for its antiemetic potential but needs further studies of the exact mechanisms of action.

7 , 2 , 2017