Antispasmodic and Relaxant Effects of Thymus algeriensis Dichloromethane fraction on Intestinal Smooth Muscle Motility of Wistar rats

Abstract

Digestive disorders are common reasons for medical consultations, making natural remedies based on medicinal plants  increasingly popular. This study explored the potential benefits of Thymus algeriensis on the motility of the smooth  intestinal muscle to address digestive tract disorders. The study focused on an in vitro test using the rat jejunum to  evaluate the antispasmodic and relaxant effects of its dichloromethane fraction. The results showed that the  dichloromethane fraction caused a significant relaxing effect on spontaneous contraction and an antispasmodic effect  on rat jejunum precontracted with carbachol or KCl in a dose-response manner (p ˂ 0.001). The inhibitory activity  demonstrated was comparable to those produced by a non-competitive antagonist of voltage-dependent Calcium  channel and cholinergic receptors. These findings highlight the potential of Thymus algeriensis dichloromethane  fraction to address digestive disorders.