Inhibition of rat vas deferens contractions by flavonoids in-vitro.
Flavonoids are a large heterogeneous group of benzo-gamma-pyrone derivatives, which are abundantly present in our diet. In this study we investigated the effect of ten flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, morin, galangin, rutin, apigenin, flavone, naringenin, hesperitin and silybin) on the contractile response elicited by electrical field stimulation in the rat isolated vas deferens. All flavonoids tested inhibited vas deferens contractions. The relative order of potency of the tested flavonoids was naringenin > hesperitin > morin > kaempferol > apigenin > silybin > flavone > rutin > quercetin > galangin. Analysis of the chemical structures showed that the saturation of C-2-C-3 double bond and the presence of hydroxyl groups on the flavonoidic scaffold play an important role in the activity of flavonoids.
Dipartimento di Farmacologia Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy. rafcapas@unina.it
Raffaele
R
Capasso
Ferdinando
F
Fiorino
Valeria
V
Ascione
Francesco
F
Frecentese
Francesca
F
Borrelli
D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D005419:Flavonoids