title: Antispasmodic effect of Mentha piperita essential oil on tracheal smooth muscle of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mentha piperita is a plant popularly known in Brazil as "hortelã-pimenta" whose essential oil is used in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant actions and anti-congestive. Here, it was investigated the effect of Mentha piperita essential oil (peppermint oil) in rat tracheal rings along with its mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tracheal tissue from male Wistar rats (250-300 g) were used. Peppermint oil was added in cumulative concentrations [1-300 microg/ml] to the tissue basal tonus or pre-contracted by carbachol [10 microM] at 10 min intervals, incubated or not with indomethacin [10 microM], L-N-metyl-nitro-arginine [100 microM], hexamethonium [500 microM], or tetraethylammonium [5 mM].
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peppermint oil [100 and 300 microg/ml] inhibited the contractions induced by carbachol, which was reversed by indomethacin, L-N-metyl-nitro-arginine and hexamethonium, but not by tetraethylammonium. These data suggest the participation of prostaglandin E(2), nitric oxide and autonomic ganglions in the peppermint oil relaxant effect and may be correlated with its popular use in respiratory diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peppermint oil exhibited antispasmodic activity on rat trachea involving prostaglandins and nitric oxide synthase.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Fisio-Farmacologia da Inflamação-LAFFIN, Instituto Superior de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Albertina Antonielly Sydney
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Pedro Marcos Gomes
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Arisa Nara Saldanha
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.forename: Alana Rufino
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Emmanuel Prata
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Ana Maria Sampaio
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assreuy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000187:drug effects; D005730:Ganglionic Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D036142:Mentha piperita; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005730:Ganglionic Blockers; D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010938:Plant Oils; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C015424:peppermint oil; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D015232:Dinoprostone