title: Muscle relaxing activity of Hyssopus officinalis essential oil on isolated intestinal preparations.
abstract: The muscle relaxing activity of the essential oil of Hyssopus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) and some of its main components (isopinocamphone, limonene and beta-pinene) was studied on isolated preparations of guinea-pig and rabbit intestine. The essential oil and isopinocamphone inhibited the acetylcholine- and BaCl2-induced contractions in guinea-pig ileum in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 42.4 microg/ml and 61.9 microg/ml to acetylcholine; 48.3 microg/ml and 70.4 microg/ml to BaCl2) whereas limonene or beta-pinene left tissue contraction unchanged. In guinea-pig ileum H. officinalis essential oil also blocked the contractions induced by CaCl2. In isolated rabbit jejunum the essential oil reduced the amplitude of spontaneous movements and decreased the basal tone; neither haemoglobin, methylene blue, N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or propranolol blocked the myorelaxant effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Natural Substances and General Physiology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Battinelli
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daniele
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Melchioni
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzanti
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017609:Barium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D001892:Camphanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019686:Lamiaceae; D000077222:Limonene; D008297:Male; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017609:Barium Compounds; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D001892:Camphanes; D002712:Chlorides; D053138:Cyclohexenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; C024986:barium chloride; C010789:beta-pinene; C021317:pinocamphone; D000077222:Limonene; D010208:Papaverine; D002122:Calcium Chloride; D000109:Acetylcholine