Effect Of Urtica Cannabina On The Motility Of Ovine Digestive Tract

Urtica is widely distributed in China,with a variety of species.Urtica cannabina is most main species in Xinjiang.Previous study from our team showed that Urtica promoted the motility of gastrointestinal smooth muscle in rats or mice.In order to investigate the effects of Urtica on the motility of ovine digestive tract,the effect of Urtica on the movement of isolated smooth muscle from ovine digestive tract was monitored,and the different ratio of Urtica hay instead of alfalfa hay was used to feed the sheep.Firstly,the effect of water extract of Urtica on the motility of ovine isolated gastrointestinal tract was studied by biosignal processing system.The results showed that Urtica dose-dependently promoted the motility of small intestinal muscle.The contract peak of muscle was increased 192%± 28%(P<0.05)and 220%± 30%(P<0.05)when the concentration of Urtica extract arrived to 4.0%and 8.0%,respectively.The peak and the area under curve of duodenal contract induced by 2.0%Urtica extract were significantly increased compared with that of rumen and abomasum sinus(P<0.05).Effects of Urtica combined with M-receptor blocker atropine or calcium channel blocker verapamil on the contract peak and area under curve did not differ from that of Urtica alone(P>0.05).Secondly,effect of 25%,50%and 100%Urtica hay instead of alfalfa hay on the motility of ovine digestive tract was monitored after feeding the 7 th,14 th,21 st and 28 th day.The results showed that the body weight of 100%Urtica group(25.9 kg±1.2 kg)was significantly less than that of the control group(27.0 kg±0.8 kg,P<0.05)in the 28 th day,and there was no difference between the other groups(P>0.05).In the 7 th,21 st and 28 th day,the number of no ruminant sheep increased with the increase of the proportion of Urtica within 2-4 h after feeding.In the 7 th and 21 st day,ruminant time of 100%Urtica group was significantly later than control group in the 7th day(P<0.05),while there was no difference on the 21 st day(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the duration time of a rumination process in the different Urtica groups(P>0.05).In day 21,time of chew in 50%Urtica group and 100%Urtica group was significant(49/min±4/min,P<0.05)and extremely significant(47/min±6/min,P<0.01),respectively,less than control group(51/min±4/min).The rumen peristalsis frequency of 100%Urtica group was only slower than that of control group at 2 h after feeding in the 28th day(P<0.05),while there was no difference in other data collected(P>0.05).The start time of defecation was significantly higher in 100%Urtica group(129 min±40 min)than in control group(51 min±12 min)after feeding only in the 28 th day(P<0.01).The intestinal mucosa structure of the 100%Urtica group was incomplete after 30 days of feeding.The results of the present study suggest that the water extract of Urtica can promote the gastrointestinal motility in sheep in vitro,while the feeding of Urtica hay has a weakening effect on the gastrointestinal motility in sheep in vivo.Therefore,in order to develop the feeding value of Urtica and the medicinal value of alleviation of gastrointestinal motility disorders in herbivores,it is necessary to further study on Urtica about related functions of its main or effective ingredients.