Ferutinin stimulates nitric oxide synthase activity in median eminence of the rat.
Several species of Ferula genus have been used in folk medicine in digestive disorders, rheumatism, headache, arthritis, and as tranquilizers, antispasmodic and aphrodisiac. From the dry and powdered roots of Ferula hermonis Boiss was extracted the oxygenated sesquiterpene 1,5-trans-daucane type: ferutinine (1). The structure of (1) was established by spectroscopic methods as: IR, (1)H RMN, (13)C RMN, COSY, HMBC, HMQC, NOESY, EIMS, and CIMS. The possible signaling pathway of ferutinin (1) in nervous tissue in vitro was assessed and the results showed that this compound is able to increase nitric oxide synthase activity and inositol monophosphate accumulation (49%, each) in the median eminence of the rat brain, suggesting that compound (1) is associated to the activation of phosphoinositide breakdown and nitric oxide production (NO), the last is a gaseous intercellular messenger known to play a broad role in human biology from homeostasis to pathology.
Laboratory of Bioassays and Natural Products, Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, School of Pharmacy, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela. trinaco@cantv.net
Trina
T
Colman-Saizarbitoria
Paulo
P
Boutros
Angel
A
Amesty
Alí
A
Bahsas
Yaira
Y
Mathison
Maria del Rosario
Mdel R
Garrido
Anita
A
Israel
D000818:Animals; D001046:Aphrodisiacs / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005309:Ferula; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D001046:Aphrodisiacs; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase