title: Dihydrotanshinone, a lipophilic component of Salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen), relaxes rat coronary artery by inhibition of calcium channels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dihydrotanshinone is a lipophilic component of the medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza (danshen) belonging to the family of Labiatae. In this study, we have investigated the mechanisms of its relaxant effect on rat-isolated coronary artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat coronary artery rings were precontracted with 1 microM 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). Involvement of endothelium-dependant mechanisms were investigated by pretreatment of the artery rings with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor flurbiprofen (10 microM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM), a muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (100 nM), and by mechanical removal of the endothelium. Involvement of endothelium-independent mechanisms was investigated in endothelium-denuded artery rings pretreated with a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (100 nM), an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purine-6-amine (SQ22536, 100 microM), a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ,10 microM), and a potassium channel inhibitor tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mM). Involvement of Ca(2+) channels was investigated in artery rings incubated with Ca(2+)-free buffer and primed with 1 microM 5-HT for 5 min prior to adding CaCl(2) to elicit contraction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dihydrotanshinone relaxed the 5-HT-precontracted coronary artery rings with an IC50 value of 10.39+/-1.69 microM. None of the above inhibitors or antagonists tested produced a significant change on the vasorelaxant effect of dihydrotanshinone, except ODQ caused a 50% reduction. Pre-incubation of the artery rings for 10 min with dihydrotanshinone (100 microM) abolished the CaCl(2)-induced vasoconstriction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that inhibition of Ca(2+) influx in the vascular smooth muscle cells is important for the vasorelaxant effect of dihydrotanshinone, and it is independent of pathways involving the endothelium, muscarinic receptors, beta-adrenoceptors, adenylyl cyclase, and guanylyl cyclase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, Hong Kong, China. FrancisLam@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Francis F Y
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: John H K
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Kam M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Penelope M Y
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Or
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008297:Male; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C021751:tanshinone; D012701:Serotonin; C037886:cryptotanshinone; D002118:Calcium