@article {Eno:August 2001:1388-0209:268,
	author = "Eno A.E.",
	author = "Itam E.H.",
	title = "Skeletal Muscle Relaxants in the Root Extract of Rauvolfia cumminsii",
	journal = "Pharmaceutical Biology (Formerly International Journal of Pharmacognosy)",
	volume = "39",
	year = "August 2001",
	abstract = "A crude extract from R. Cumminsii roots produced skeletal muscle relaxation in rats following intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration. This was assessed by the &#147;Pull-up&#148; time test. The extract, at all concentrations tested, produced a prolongation of the &#147;pull-up&#148; time that was interpreted as being due to the relaxant effect of the extract. When compared with standard skeletal muscle relaxant drugs such as chlorodiapoxide (20 mg/kg, i.p.), diazepam (40 mg/kg, i.p.) and dantrolene sodium (30 mg/kg, oral), the root extract (200&#150;1000 mg/kg, i.p.) proved to be a more effective. In vitro studies using isolated rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations revealed the extract (2.5&#150;100 <IMG SRC="/iso-ents/isogrk32/mu-s.gif" ALT="mu">g/ml) had no effect on the twitch tension elicited by direct stimulation of the diaphragm muscle, but caused a dose-dependent reduction of neurally evoked twitches. The inhibitory effect of the root extract on twitch tension was exacerbated by decamethonium (1 <IMG SRC="/iso-ents/isogrk32/mu-s.gif" ALT="mu">M) and antagonized by both physostigmine (2 <IMG SRC="/iso-ents/isogrk32/mu-s.gif" ALT="mu">M) and guanidine (0.1 mM). From these results, we suggest that the root extract produces skeletal muscle relaxation by causing a prejunctional block of neuromuscular transmission in the rat.",
	pages = "268-272(5)",
	url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/tandf/phbi/2001/00000039/00000004/art00006"
	doi = "doi:10.1076/phbi.39.4.268.5906"
}