title: Antispasmodic and bronchodilator activities of Artemisia vulgaris are mediated through dual blockade of muscarinic receptors and calcium influx.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study describes antispasmodic, antidiarrheal, bronchodilatory and tracheo-relaxant activities of Artemisia vulgaris to rationalize some of its traditional uses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Crude extract of Artemisia vulgaris (Av.Cr) was studied in the isolated tissue preparations of rabbit jejunum and guinea-pig trachea, as well as in the in vivo castor oil-induced diarrhea and bronchodilatory techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Av.Cr which tested positive for alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, tannins and terpenes caused concentration-dependent (0.03-10mg/mL) relaxation of jejunum spontaneous contractions. Av.Cr inhibited the carbachol (CCh, 1 microM) and K(+) (80 mM)-induced contractions in a pattern, similar to that of dicyclomine. Av.Cr shifted the Ca(2+) concentration-response curves to right, like that caused by verapamil and dicyclomine. Av.Cr produced rightward parallel shift in CCh-curves, followed by non-parallel shift at higher concentration with the suppression of the maximum response, similar to that caused by dicyclomine. It exhibited protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhea and CCh-mediated bronchoconstriction in rodents. In trachea, Av.Cr relaxed the CCh (1 microM) and K(+) (80 mM)-induced contractions and shifted the CCh-curves to right.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that Artemisia vulgaris exhibits combination of anticholinergic and Ca(2+) antagonist mechanisms, which provides pharmacological basis for its folkloric use in the hyperactive gut and airways disorders, such as abdominal colic, diarrhea and asthma.
authors.affiliation: Natural product Research Division, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, The Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Arif-ullah
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Anwarul Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gilani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010936:Plant Extracts