Effects of Ginkgo biloba on arterial smooth muscle responses to vasoactive stimuli.
1. An extract of Ginkgo biloba (Gb), at a concentration (100 microgram/ml) that did not provoke isometrically-recorded contractions of rabbit aorta, was tested on the contractile effects of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). 2. Gb potentiated the contractile effect of NE (reduced the EC50 from 75 to 36 nM), but had no obvious action on the contractile effects of 5-HT or DA. 3. These results indicate that low concentrations of Gb might influence catecholaminergic systems by an indirect mechanism.
D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine