The authors investigated the action of 2% aqueous extract of Cymbopogon citratus -Stapf on male Wistar rat smooth muscle (duodenum) contractility. Ten experiments were performed; each consisted of a contractile record of a Wistar rat duodenum fragment maintained in an insulated water bath with Tyrode's solution, controlling the physiological patterns of temperature, pH and oxygenation of the bath in order to guarantee the functional nature of the contractility.
For each experiment three records were made, in the following sequence:
- Standard record (control) of organ contractility in the bath (Tyrode);
- Test record: after adding acetylcholine to the bath. After 15 minutes of replacing the bath and washing the organ;
- Experimental record: after putting the tea plus acetylcholine in the bath.
It was found that there was a significant difference between groups 2 and 3 in relation to the control group in the smooth muscle of duodenum isolated, thus concluding that Cymbopogon citratus produced acetylcholine simile effect.
