Abstract

Scolopendra corpus has been used as anticonvulsants and antispasmodics in the oriental medicine. It was previously shown that water extract of Scolopendra corpus had an inhibitory action on ileum in mouse. To investigate the anticonvulsant and antispasmodic activity of Scolopendra corpus, pharmacological studies have been carried out with the water extract of Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans $L.\;K_{OCH}$, which is widely distributed in Korea. 1. The extract depressed convulsions induced by picrotoxin and strychnine. 2. Sedative and antipyretic analgesic action were observed. 3. In mouse and rabbit, tone of intestinal smooth muscle was suppressed with the treatment of the extract and intestinal contraction induced by $BaCl_2$ was also inhibited, suggesting that the extract has a papaverine-like effect. Whereas, in guinea pig, intestinal and tracheal smooth muscle were stimulated, and the effect was antagonized by pre-and after-treatment of diphenhydramine, suggesting that the extract has a histamine-like effect. 4.Flow rate was increased when hind-limb of Toad was perfused with saline containing the extract, but returned to normal within 10 min. Hypotensive effect was observed in rabbit and the effect was abolished by vagotomy.

Keywords