Article Sidebar
Published:
Dec 11, 2015Article Details
Copyright remains in the Author’s name. The work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Noncommercial Works License. Authors are required to complete and sign an Author Agreement form that outlines Author and Publisher rights and terms of publication. The Agreement form should be uploaded along with other submissions files and any submission will be considered incomplete without it [forthcoming].
Material submitted for publication in the SAMJ is accepted provided it has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere. Please inform the editorial team if the main findings of your paper have been presented at a conference and published in abstract form, to avoid copyright infringement. The SAMJ does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Previously published images
If an image/figure has been previously published, permission to reproduce or alter it must be obtained by the authors from the original publisher and the figure legend must give full credit to the original source. This credit should be accompanied by a letter indicating that permission to reproduce the image has been granted to the author/s. This letter should be uploaded as a supplementary file during submission.
Main Article Content
Seasonal variation in uterotonic activity of <i>Rhoicissus tridentata</i> extracts
Abstract
Background. Rhoicissus tridentata lignotubers are widely used in southern African traditional pregnancy-related remedies.
Objectives. To determine the seasonal variation in contractile activity of extracts from different parts of the plant.
Methods. Isolated rat uterus tissue was used to compare the contractile activity of crude aqueous extracts of R. tridentata made from plant material harvested every 3 months over a period of 2 years.
Results and conclusions. The activity of the plant extracts from plants harvested in summer and autumn were 4 - 5- fold higher than extracts from plants harvested in winter or spring. The tubers stimulated the greatest degree of contractions, followed by the stems, roots and leaves. These results highlight the need to standardise the timing of harvesting R. tridentata.
