title: The volatile oil of Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma induces endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in HUVEC cells.
abstract: Nardostahyos Radix et Rhizoma (NRR; the root and rhizome of Nardostachys jatamansi DC.) is a widely used medicinal herb. Historically, NRR is being used for the treatment of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. To search for active ingredients of NRR, we investigated the vascular benefit of NRR volatile oil in (i) the vasodilation in rat aorta ring, and (ii) the release of nitric oxide (NO) and the phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). By measuring the fluorescence signal in cultures, application of NRR volatile oil resulted in a rapid activation of NO release as well as the phosphorylation of eNOS: both inductions were markedly reduced by L-NAME. In parallel, the phosphorylation level of Akt kinase was markedly increased by the oil treatment, which was partially attenuated by PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002. This inhibitor also blocked the NRR-induced NO production and eNOS phosphorylation. In HUVECs, application of NRR volatile oil elevated the intracellular Ca(2+) level, and BAPTA-AM, a Ca(2+) chelator, reduced the Ca(2+) surge: the blockage were also applied to NRR-induced eNOS phosphorylation and NO production. These findings suggested the volatile oil of NRR was the major ingredient in triggering the vascular dilatation, and which was mediated via the NO production.
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Maitinuer
authors: M
authors: Maiwulanjiang
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Cathy W C
authors: CW
authors: Bi
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Pinky S C
authors: PS
authors: Lee
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Guizhong
authors: G
authors: Xin
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Abudureyimu
authors: A
authors: Miernisha
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Kei M
authors: KM
authors: Lau
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Aizhen
authors: A
authors: Xiong
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Li
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Tina T X
authors: TT
authors: Dong
authors: Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Natural Products Chemistry, Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
authors: Haji A
authors: HA
authors: Aisa
authors: Division of Life Science and Centre for Chinese Medicine, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China.
authors: Karl W K
authors: KW
authors: Tsim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000378:metabolism; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014632:Valerian / Q000737:chemistry*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D002118:Calcium
references: J Biol Chem. 2003 Dec 19;278(51):51360-71
references: 14551203
references: Nature. 1999 Jun 10;399(6736):601-5
references: 10376603
references: J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2007 Feb;42(2):271-9
references: 16839566
references: J Biol Chem. 2002 Nov 1;277(44):42344-51
references: 12171920
references: Antioxid Redox Signal. 2007 Aug;9(8):1193-206
references: 17571958
references: Int J Infect Dis. 2015 Apr;33:114-9
references: 25559785
references: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:251424
references: 18955370
references: Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:687958
references: 24198845
references: J Clin Invest. 1993 Aug;92(2):652-62
references: 8349804
references: J Biol Chem. 2001 Aug 10;276(32):30392-8
references: 11402048
references: Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2003 Jan;284(1):R1-12
references: 12482742
references: J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Apr 28;153(2):491-8
references: 24632018
references: Oncogene. 2003 Sep 1;22(37):5734-54
references: 12947383
references: Life Sci. 2005 Nov 26;78(2):128-33
references: 16154159
references: Biochim Biophys Acta. 1999 May 5;1411(2-3):217-30
references: 10320659
references: FEBS Lett. 1999 Jan 29;443(3):285-9
references: 10025949
references: J Biol Chem. 2011 Aug 12;286(32):27882-93
references: 21652696
references: J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 1999 Dec;34(6):879-86
references: 10598133
references: Nat Med. 2000 Sep;6(9):1004-10
references: 10973320
references: Chin Med. 2010 Oct 28;5:38
references: 21029415
references: Zhong Yao Cai. 2007 Jan;30(1):38-41
references: 17539300
references: Eur Heart J. 1991 Nov;12 Suppl E:2-11
references: 1790780
references: Cardiovasc Res. 2008 Jan;77(1):30-4
references: 18006482
references: Circulation. 2001 Nov 20;104(21):2569-75
references: 11714652
references: J Pharm Pharmacol. 2006 Feb;58(2):257-62
references: 16451755
references: Eur Heart J. 1997 Nov;18 Suppl E:E19-29
references: 9402468
references: Biochem Pharmacol. 1988 Jul 1;37(13):2495-501
references: 3291879
references: PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51670
references: 23284736