title: Vasorelaxants from Chinese herbs, emodin and scoparone, possess immunosuppressive properties.
abstract: Emodin and scoparone, the active principles isolated from Polygonum multiflorum and Artemisia scoparia, respectively, both exhibit vasorelaxant and immunosuppressive effects. Emodin (10(-6)-3 x 10(-5) M) and scoparone (10(-6)-3 x 10(-5) M) dose dependently relaxed rat thoracic aortic rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Emodin (3 x 10(-7)-10(-4) M) and scoparone (10(-6)-3 x 10(-4) M) also dose dependently suppressed the responses of human mononuclear cells to phytohemagglutinin and mixed lymphocyte reaction. These compounds may be useful as new templates for the development of better immunosuppressive agents with vasorelaxant actions for use against transplantation rejection and autoimmune disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, R.O.C.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003374:Coumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004642:Emodin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013895:Thoracic Arteries / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003374:Coumarins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine; C018145:scoparone; D004642:Emodin