[Effects of herba Pogostemonis on gastrointestinal tract]

The effects of the three extracts (Decoction, oil-free decoction and volatile oil) of Herba Pogostemonis on gastrointestinal tract were studied. The results showed that all the three extracts inhibited the automatic contraction and Ach, BaCl2-induced spasmodic contraction of isolated rabbit intestine, among the three extracts the volatile oil was the most potent. In vivo the decoction and the oil-free decoction could depress gastric evacuation and inhibit the normal and neostigmine-induced intestinal propellent movement in mice, but the volatile oil could not. The decoction and the oil-free decoction also increased gastric secretion of acid and activity of pepsin and amylase. Furthermore, the decoction and the oil-free decoction reduced the incidence of diarrhea induced by senna but volatile oil enhanced cooperatively. All the three extracts relieved the gripping pain induced by abdominal administration of acetic acid, and the effect of decoction was more potent that the others. The above results revealed that the effective components of Herba Pogostemonis may be mainly water-solube.