The toxicity of the aqueous extract of Origanum majorana was tested (5 and 10 g/kg) in albino mice. No symptoms of toxicity or mortality were observed. The mice survived being active and healthy during all 14 days of observation. In addition, the weight measurement of the left and right kidneys, heart, and liver shows no significant difference between the control, 5 g/kg, and 10 g/kg. All extracts (aqueous, petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, methanolic, and depleted aqueous extracts) of Origanum majorana tested against both types of cancer cells showed a more pronounced cytotoxic effect against breast cell line MDA-MB-231 than colon cells line HT-29 cells. The most marked effect is that of the ethyl acetate extract with IC50 30.90 ± 1.39 and 50.11 ± 1.44 (µg/ml), respectively. HPLC analysis of extracts from Origanum majorana showed that this plant contained polyphenols and flavonoids, which may be responsible for the biological activities found.

<em>Thymus algeriensis</em> have been vastly utilized for intestinal disorders. The purpose of this investigation was to scrutinize the probable mechanism for its utilization in the spasm disorder. Aqueous extract of this medicinal plant (AqTA) was tested<em> in vitro</em> on rat and rabbit jejunum. The extract produced relaxation of rabbit jejunum. This relaxation does not depend on the adrenergic pathway, the AqTA induces inhibition irrespective of the presence or absence of adrenergic inhibitors. AqTA engendered a concentration-dependent (0.1-5 mg/ml) relaxation of carbamylcholine chloride (CCh) and K⁺ provoked tones in rat intestine with IC₅₀ values of 2.06 ± 0.26 and 3.55 ± 0.48 (mg/ml) respectively. This extract likewise induced a dosedependent (0.1-3 mg/ml) rightward shift in the CCh and Ca⁺⁺ dose-response curves. The AqTA alone has decreased more significantly the percentage of contraction of rat jejunum than the AqTA pre-incubated with atropine or hexamethonium then contracted with KCl; but there is no significant difference by those pre-incubated with methylene blue or L-NAME. When the intestine was pretreated with nifedipine and contracted by CCh, the antispasmodic effect provoked by AqTA with and without pre-incubation with nifedipine is statistically not significant. In conclusion AqTA acts possibly on the voltage dependent Ca⁺⁺ channel and cholinergic receptors but did not act on adrenergic receptors, NO and guanylatecyclase pathway. This investigation may explicate some of its traditional utilization in gut illnesses.

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Aims: Origanum majorana (Lamiaceae) is a herbaceous and perennial plant that is used in the Moroccan traditional medicine for treating gastrointestinal disorders. The objectives of this study were to confirm the antispasmodic and the myorelaxant activity of organic fractions of Origanum majorana (OM) in rat and rabbit jejunum.

Context: Warionia saharae Benthem ex Benth. & Coss has been widely used for gastrointestinal problems in Morocco and Algeria. Aims: To explore the possible mechanism for its use to such ailments in order to rationalize some of these folkloric uses. We investigated the aqueous extract of this plant (AqWs) for antispasmodic activity on isolated rat and rabbit jejunums. Methods: To investigate the contractile activity of isolated jejunum preparations of rat and rabbit we had used in vitro techniques. Jejunums were suspended in tissue baths filled with KHB culture medium (37°C) and connected to force transducers. AqWs (0.1–3 mg/mL) was used with or without carbachol (10-6 M), KCl (25 mM), yohimbine (10-5 M), prazosin (10-5 M), propranolol (10-5 M), hexamethonium (10-4 M), atropine (10-6 M), methylene blue (10-5 M), L-NAME (10-4 M) and nifedipine (10-6 M). Results: AqWs at 0.1–3 mg/mL produced a relaxation on basal rabbit contractions with an IC50 = 1.55 ± 0.06 mg/mL. This effect was reversible and was not affected by pretreatment with the inhibitors of α and β adrenergic receptors yohimbine, prazosin and propranolol. The extract had an antispasmodic activity with an IC50 = 1.25 ± 0.02 mg/mL on rat jejunum precontracted with KCl rich medium (25 mM). This result suggests that the extract had a Ca2+ antagonist effect. This was fortified when pretreatment of the intestine with the extract induced a rightward shift in the Ca2+ concentration-response curves. AqWs exhibited also antispasmodic effect on carbachol (10-6 M)-induced contractions of rat jejunums with an IC50 = 1.53 ± 0.04 mg/mL. The extract at 3 mg/mL on rat jejunums pre-incubated with hexamethonium (10-4 M), atropine (10-6 M), and methylene blue (10-5 M), then contracted by KCl, decreased the maximum contraction but not totally like KCL alone without these inhibitors. For the jejunum pre-incubated with L-NAME (10-4 M), the spasmolytic effect of AqWs was comparable with KCL. Conclusions: These results suggest that the myorelaxant and antispasmodic effects are mediated possibly via Ca2+ antagonist, anticholinergic, and guanylate cyclase mechanisms but not by adrenergic and nitric oxide pathway.