title: Hypotensive and endothelium-independent vasorelaxant effects of methanolic extract from Curcuma longa L. in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Curcuma longa L. (CL) is a yellow rhizome that is used in African traditional medicine to treat palpitation, hypertension or other related blood circulation disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To justify the use of CL in ethnomedicine, we investigated the vasorelaxant effect of methanolic extract of CL (CLME) and its underlying mechanisms in isolated rat mesenteric artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of CLME on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) (pulse interval) were determined in vivo in non-anaesthetized rats. Superior mesenteric rings were isolated, suspended in organ baths containing Tyrode solution at 37 degrees C and gassed with 95% O(2)+5% CO(2), under a resting tension of 0.75 g. The vasorelaxant effects of CLME were studied by means of isometric tension recording experiments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In normotensive rats, CLME (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg, i.v.) induced dose-dependent hypotension (2.0+/-0.5%; 27.1+/-5.0% and 26.7+/-4.6%, respectively), and pronounced bradycardia (5.8+/-1.2%, 19.3+/-3.2% and 22.9+/-4.6%, respectively). CLME (1-1000 microg/mL) induced concentration-dependent relaxation of tonic contractions evoked by phenylephrine (Phe) (10 microM) and KCl (80 mM) in rings with intact-endothelium (E(max)=82.3+/-3.2% and 97.7+/-0.7%) or denuded-endothelium (E(max)=91.4+/-1.0% and 97.8+/-1.1%). Also, in a depolarized, Ca(2+) free medium, CLME inhibited CaCl(2) (1 microM-30 mM)-induced contractions and caused a concentration-dependent rightward shift of the response curves, indicating that CLME inhibited the contractile mechanisms involving extracellular Ca(2+) influx. In addition, in Ca(2+) free media containing EGTA (1 mM), CLME inhibited the transient contraction of denuded rings constricted with Phe, but not those evoked by caffeine (20 mM). In contrast, neither glibenclamide, BaCl(2), tetraethylammonium nor 4-aminopyridine affected CLME-induced relaxation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate the hypotensive and bradycardic effects of CLME, as well as its potent vasodilation of rat mesenteric arteries. These effects, may in part, be due to the inhibition of extracellular Ca(2+) influx and/or inhibition of intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization from Phe-sensitive stores.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil. aoadaramoye@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Oluwatosin A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Adaramoye
authors.forename: Raline M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Anjos
authors.forename: Mônica M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Robson C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Veras
authors.forename: Darìzy F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Silvia
authors.forename: Francisco A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Karla V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Cavalcante
authors.forename: Islania G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Aldeìdia P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Isac A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Medeiros
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000187:drug effects; D000432:Methanol; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D012997:Solvents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D010656:Phenylephrine; D002110:Caffeine; D009543:Nifedipine; D002118:Calcium; D000432:Methanol