ANTIARRHYTHMIC EFFECT OF BARK AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF ISOBERLINIA TOMENTOSA ON RABBIT ECG

Isoberlinia Tomentosa is a pharmacopoeia plant used in traditional medicine to treat heart disease and arterial hypertension. This study was carried out to evaluate the pharmacological effects of an trunk bark aqueous extract of Isoberlinia tomentosa (Isobt) on cardiac arrhythmia in rabbits. Results showed that atropine did not significantly (p>0.05) affect Isobt-induced bradycardia. On induced arrhythmia, Isobt significantly (p<0.001) reduced its duration by 96.6%, with an Arrhythmia Reducing Concentration 50 (RC50) of 11.57 mg/kg B.W. Administered prior to arrhythmia induction, the extract reduced the duration by 89.1%, with an RC50 of 15.07 mg/kg B.W. Isoberlinia tomentosa therefore acts via β-adrenergic receptors as a beta-blocker to reduce cardiac activity. These results justify its use in the treatment of heart disease and hypertension.