Effects of piperitenone oxide on the intestinal smooth muscle of the guinea pig
Braz. j. med. biol. res
;
30(6): 787-91, jun. 1997. ilus
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-194181
ABSTRACT
We investigated the effects of piperitenone oxide (PO), a major constituent of the essential oil of Mentha x villosa, on the guinea pig ileum. PO (30 to 740 mug/ml) relaxed basal tonus without significantly alterating the resting membrane potential. In addition, PO relaxed preparations precontracted with either 60 mM K+ or 5 mM tetraethyl-ammonium in a concentration-dependent manner. At concentrations from 0.1 to 10 mug/ml PO potentiated acetylcholine-induced contractions, while higher concentrations (>30 mug/ml) blocked this response. These higher PO concentrations also inhibited contractions induced by 60 mM K+. PO also blocked the components of acetylcholine contraction which are not sensitive to nifedipine or to solutions with nominal zero Ca2+ and EGTA. These results show that PO is a relaxant of intestinal smooth muscle and suggest that this activity may be mediated at least in part by an intracellular effect.
Full text:
Available
Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Potassium Chloride
/
Terpenes
/
Anti-Anxiety Agents
/
Plant Oils
/
Gastrointestinal Agents
/
Calcium Channel Blockers
/
Nifedipine
/
Acetylcholine
/
Tetraethylammonium Compounds
/
Ileum
Limits:
Animals
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. med. biol. res
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Medicine
Year:
1997
Type:
Article
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