Spasmolytic and antidiarrheal activities of (Verbenaceae) essential oil.

('alecrim-do-mato' or 'alecrim-do-campo') is used in Brazilian folk medicine to treat various illnesses, including diarrhea. This work aimed to evaluate spasmolytic and antidiarrheal activities of the essential oil (OOS) and to correlate with the traditional use of this plant. In isolated guinea-pig ileum, OOS presented a concentration-dependent spasmolytic activity in preparations pre-contracted with KCl 40 mM [EC = 16.