title: Pharmacology of Casimiroa edulis; III. Relaxant and contractile effects in rat aortic rings.
abstract: The relaxant and contractile effects of an aqueous extract of the seeds of the hypotensive plant Casimiroa edulis were investigated in rat aortic rings. The extract inhibited contractions elicited by noradrenaline, serotonin and prostaglandin F2 alpha, but did not affect responses to KCl. Inhibition did not require the presence of intact vascular endothelium and was not affected by histamine antagonists. In this preparation, the extract also elicited concentration-related contractions which were more marked in the absence of endothelium, were not blocked by histamine antagonists, and were completely suppressed by alpha-adrenergic blockade. It was concluded that the relaxant effect of the extract is not exerted through release of an endothelial relaxing factor nor through blockade of calcium channels or of specific smooth muscle receptors, and does not involve histaminergic mechanisms. The contractile effect is modulated by vascular endothelium and is alpha-adrenergic in nature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, National University of Mexico, Mexico, D.F.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Magos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vidrio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Enríquez
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D014197:Trees; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D015237:Dinoprost; D009638:Norepinephrine