title: Pharmacological explanation for the medicinal use of Juniperus excelsa in hyperactive gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders.
abstract: Crude extract of Juniperus excelsa (JeExt), which tested positive for the presence of anthraquinone, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, terpenes and tannin, exhibited a protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice at 100-1000 mg/kg. In rabbit jejunum preparations, JeExt (0.01-1.0 mg/mL) caused relaxation of spontaneous and K(+) (80 mM)-induced contractions at similar concentrations to papaverine, whereas verapamil was relatively more potent against K(+). JeExt (0.03-0.3 mg/mL) shifted Ca(2+) concentration-response curves to the right, like papaverine or verapamil. JeExt (0.003-0.01 mg/mL) caused a leftward shift of isoprenaline-induced inhibitory concentration-response curves, similar to papaverine. JeExt (1.0-30 mg/kg) caused suppression of carbachol (CCh, 100 μg/kg)-induced increase in inspiratory pressure of anaesthetized rats. In guinea-pig trachea, JeExt (0.001-3.0 mg/mL) relaxed CCh (1 μM)- and high K(+)-induced contractions and shifted isoprenaline-induced inhibitory curves to the left. This study suggests that Juniperus excelsa possibly exhibits a combination of Ca(2+) antagonist and phosphodiesterase inhibitory effects, which provides a pharmacological basis for its traditional use in disorders of gut and airways hyperactivity, such as diarrhoea, colic and asthma.
authors: Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi 74800, Pakistan.
authors: Munasib
authors: M
authors: Khan
authors: Arif-ullah
authors: AU
authors: Khan
authors: Najeeb-ur-Rehman
authors: Anwarul-Hassan
authors: AH
authors: Gilani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D010208:Papaverine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014700:Verapamil; D010208:Papaverine