title: Effects of the essential oil of Croton zehntneri and its major components, anethole and estragole, on the rat corpora cavernosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of the essential oil of Croton zehntneri (EOCz) and its major components anethole, estragole and methyl eugenol were evaluated in phenylephrine precontracted rat corpora cavernosa (RCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  RCC strips were mounted in 5 ml organ baths for isometric recordings of tension, precontracted with 10 μM phenylephrine and exposed to test drugs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All major compounds relaxed RCC. The order of potency was estragole>anethole>methyl eugenol. The maximal relaxation to EOCz and methyl eugenol was 62.67% (IC50 of 1.67 μM) and 45.8% (IC50 of 1.7 μM), respectively. Estragole relaxed RCC with an IC50 of 0.6 μM (maximal relaxation-76.6%). The maximal relaxation to estragole was significantly reduced by L-NAME (43.46%-IC50 of 1.4 μM), ODQ (53.11%-IC50 of 0.83 μM) and indomethacin (24.41%-IC50 of 1.3 μM). On the other hand, anethole relaxed RCC by 66.73% (IC50 of 0.96 μM) and this relaxation was blunted by indomethacin (35.65%-IC50 of 1.6 μM). Both estragole and anethole increased the relaxation achieved upon electrical stimulation. Both compounds increased the levels of cAMP (estragole by 3-fold and anethole by 2-fold when compared to controls). Estragole also increased the levels of cGMP (0.5-fold).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher potency of these compounds to relax corpora cavernosa smooth muscle may form the pharmacological basis for the use of such substances as leading compounds in the search of alternative treatments of erectile dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Ceará State University, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Laboratory of Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Henrique Bezerra
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Ceará State University, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Laboratory of Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Morais Campos
authors.affiliation: Ceará State University, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Laboratory of Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Manassés Claudino
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fonteles
authors.affiliation: Ceará State University, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Laboratory of Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudia Ferreira
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Superior Institute of Biomedicine and Laboratory of Electrophysiology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Henrique
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Leal Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Ceará State University, Superior Institute of Biomedicine, Laboratory of Renal and Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Electronic address: nilberto.nascimento@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nilberto Robson Falcão
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: do Nascimento
mesh_terms: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000818:Animals; D000840:Anisoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D029802:Croton / Q000737:chemistry*; D003436:Croton Oil / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D064804:Urological Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000081248:Allylbenzene Derivatives; D000840:Anisoles; D010879:Piperazines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D064804:Urological Agents; D005576:Colforsin; D010656:Phenylephrine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003436:Croton Oil; C007633:estragole; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; C006578:anethole
keywords: Anethole; Corpora cavernosa; Essential oil; Estragole