Elsevier

Life Sciences

Volume 63, Issue 22, 23 October 1998, Pages 1983-1991
Life Sciences

Endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by hawthorn extract in rat mesenteric artery

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3205(98)00476-7Get rights and content

Abstract

The extract prepared from hawthorn (Crataegus fruit) was examined for its relaxant effect in rat isolated mesenteric arteries. Hawthorn extract induced concentration-dependent relaxation of the U46619-precontracted artery with an IC50 of 0.22 ± 0.02 mg/ml. Removal of the functional endothelium reduced by approximately 85% the maximum relaxant response to hawthorn extract. Pretreatment of the arterial tissues with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (3–10 μM) or methylene blue (3–10 μM) inhibited the relaxation induced by hawthorn extract, while indomethacin (10 μM) had no effect. L-Arginine (3 mM) did not affect the relaxation induced by hawthorn extract but partially reversed the effect of 10 μM NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. Iberiotoxin (100 nM) slightly but significantly inhibited the relaxant effect of hawthorn extract whilst glibendamide (3 μM) was ineffective. Glibenclamide at 3 μM reversed the relaxation induced by pinacidil. NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and methylene blue markedly inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation in endothelium-intact arteries. Hawthorn extract also reduced the contraction induced by phenylephrine (1 μM) or high K+ (60 mM) with respective IC50 values of 0.13 ± 0.01 mg/ml and 0.11 ± 0.01 mg/ml. In high K-contracted arteries, hawthorn extract induced only 55% of relaxation while it caused a complete inhibition of the U46619- or phenylephrine-induced contraction. These results suggest that hawthorn contains active components which cause vasorelaxation in rat isolated mesenteric arteries. Nitric oxide but not other endothelium-derived vasoaclive factors was probably involved in the relaxation induced by hawthorn extract.

References (16)

  • C. Garland et al.

    Trends Pharmacol. Sci.

    (1995)
  • M.A. Clark et al.

    Prostaglandins

    (1986)
  • R. Schlegelmich et al.

    J. Amer. College Toxicol.

    (1994)
  • T. Weihmayr et al.

    Forstchritte der Medizin

    (1996)
  • M. Schussler et al.

    Arzneim-Forsch Drug Res.

    (1995)
  • T. Hanack et al.

    Therapiewoche

    (1983)
  • Y. Nasa et al.

    Arzneim-Forsch Drug Res.

    (1993)
  • T. Bahorun et al.

    Planta Medica

    (1994)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (67)

  • Action of Red Wine and Polyphenols Upon Endothelial Function and Clinical Events

    2018, Endothelium and Cardiovascular Diseases: Vascular Biology and Clinical Syndromes
View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text