title: Possible mechanisms of vasorelaxation for 5,7-dimethoxyflavone from Kaempferia parviflora in the rat aorta.
abstract: The present study investigated the vascular effects of 5,7-dimethoxyflavone (DMF), isolated from the rhizomes of Kaempferia parviflora (KP), on rat isolated aortic rings and its possible mechanisms. DMF (1-100 μM) caused concentration-dependent relaxations in aortic rings precontracted with methoxamine. This effect was significantly reduced by removal of the endothelium, and after pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 300 μM), indomethacin (10 μM) and 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo-[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 μM), but not 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purine-6-amine (SQ22536, 100 μM). Relaxant responses to DMF were significantly inhibited by high KCl (60 mM) in both endothelium-intact and -denuded rings. In addition, the relaxations to DMF were significantly reduced by pretreatment with tetraethylammonium (TEA, 5 mM), glibenclamide (10 μM), 4-aminopyridine (1 mM) or barium chloride (10 μM). Preincubation with DMF (10 and 100 μM) for 30 min significantly inhibited the contractile responses to CaCl(2) in a Ca(2+)-free, high K(+) buffer. The present study demonstrated that DMF causes endothelium-dependent relaxation that is partly mediated by NO-cGMP and cyclooxygenase pathways. Interestingly, DMF-induced responses are mainly due to increasing K(+) efflux, and inhibition of Ca(2+) influx from the extracellular space. The vasodilator effects of DMF provide experimental support for the potential use of KP as a medical plant in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. patchar@swu.ac.th
authors.forename: Patcharin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tep-Areenan
authors.forename: Pattara
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sawasdee
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Randall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D030521:Zingiberaceae / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; C060298:5,7-dimethoxyflavone; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D002118:Calcium