Vasorelaxant effect of (E,E)-farnesol in human umbilical vein ex vivo assays.

(E,E)-farnesol is a sesquiterpene acyclic alcohol produced by bacteria, protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals. The literature describes its applications in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries, and also in the pharmacological context with a vasorelaxant effect. However, its effects on human umbilical vessels remain poorly investigated. Thus, this study aims to investigate, in a new way, the vasorelaxant effect of (E,E)-farnesol in human umbilical veins (HUV) from healthy donors. Rings obtained from isolated HUV were suspended in an organ bath to record their isometric tension in different experimental sections. (E,E)-farnesol (1 µmol/L to 1 mmol/L) promoted vasorelaxant effect in venous preparations contracted by depolarization (KCl 60 mmol/L) or pharmacological agonism (5-HT 10 µmol/L), with EC50 values of 239.9 µmol/L and 424 µmol/L, respectively. In calcium-free solution, this effect was also observable. (E,E)-farnesol was able to suppress contractions evoked by CaCl2 and BaCl2 suggesting a blockade of voltage-dependent (especially L-type) calcium channels. The vasorelaxant efficacy and potency of (E,E)-farnesol were affected in the presence of tetraethylammonium (1 and 10 mmol/L), glibenclamide (10 µmol/L) and BaCl2 (1 mmol/L) indicating a possible involvement of potassium channels (BKCa, KATP and KIR) in this effect. Our data suggest that (E,E)-farnesol has a promising potential to be applicable as a vasodilator in hypertensive conditions in pregnancy that alter HUV reactivity.

Toxicological and pharmacologic effects of farnesol (C15H26O): A descriptive systematic review.

The objective of the present study was to perform a systematic review (SR) composed of preclinical and clinical studies which investigated the toxicological and pharmacologic effects of farnesol [Molecular formula: C15H26O; IUPAC: (3,7,11-Trimethyl-2,6,10-dodecatrien-1-ol]. This SR was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Literature research was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases using the descriptor combinations: "farnesol and pharmacological effect" and "farnesol and toxicology". The inclusion criteria used were original articles from preclinical and clinical studies investigating the pharmacological and toxicological effects of farnesol, published between January 1960 and December 2017 which were written in English, Portuguese and Spanish. Primary research identified 414 articles, from which 76 articles were selected for final analysis following the inclusion criteria. After grouping, 51.32 and 22.37% of the articles investigated the antimicrobial and antitumor effect, respectively. Methodological biases have been observed both in pre-clinical studies with non-human animals and in clinical trials, mainly in group allocation and blinding. This SR is the first study developed to compile the studies concerning the pharmacological and toxicological effects of farnesol. This study concludes that farnesol possesses different pharmacological and toxicological features, which permit its use as an active or a coadjuvant drug.