title: Direct vascular effects of plantain extract in rats.
abstract: Responses of the aorta and portal veins isolated from rats to aqueous extract of plantain (Musa paradisiaca) were studied. The extract produced concentration-dependent relaxation in both noradrenaline- and KCl-contracted aortic rings. The maximum relaxation in noradrenaline-contracted rings was 52.49 +/- 6.63% and in KCl-contracted rings was 77.51 +/- 2.52% of the initial tensions developed in response to the contractile agents. The extract also produced significant (P < 0.01) inhibition of the maximum aortic contractile response to noradrenaline and completely abolished the spontaneous contractions of the portal veins. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine), unlike the extract, produced contraction rather than relaxation of the aortic rings. The results show a non-specific relaxing and inhibiting effect of plantain extract on aortic and portal smooth muscles, an effect that is not attributable to its abundant serotonin content.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria.
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Orie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D009638:Norepinephrine