title: The essential oil of Eucalyptus tereticornis and its constituents, α- and β-pinene, show accelerative properties on rat gastrointestinal transit.
abstract: The essential oil of Eucalyptus tereticornis (EOET) has pharmacological activities but their effects on the gastrointestinal tract are yet unknown. It possesses α- and β-pinene as minor constituents, isomers largely used as food or drink additives. In this work, we studied their actions on gut motility. After feeding with a liquid test meal, conscious rats received perorally EOET, α-, or β-pinene, and the fractional dye retention was determined. EOET and its constituents decreased the gastric retention. In anesthetized rats, pinenes increased gastric tonus, while enhancing the meal progression in the small intestine of conscious rats. Both α- and β-pinene contracted gastric strips IN VITRO but relaxed the duodenum. Conversely, EOET relaxed both the gastric and duodenal strips. In conclusion, EOET accelerates the gastric emptying of liquid, and part of its action is attributed to the contrasting effects induced by α- and β-pinene on the gut.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Davi Matthews
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jucá
authors.forename: Moisés Tolentino Bento
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Raimundo Campos
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.forename: Francisco José Batista
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Okoba
authors.forename: Saad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahlou
authors.forename: Ricardo Brandt
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Armênio Aguiar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Pedro Jorge Caldas
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Magalhães
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005052:Eucalyptus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001643:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C010789:beta-pinene; C005451:alpha-pinene