title: Chemical composition, vasorelaxant, antioxidant and antiplatelet effects of essential oil of Artemisia campestris L. from Oriental Morocco.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artemisia campestris L. (Asteraceae) is a medicinal herb traditionally used to treat hypertension and many other diseases. Hence, this study is aimed to analyze the essential oil of A. campestris L (AcEO) and to investigate the antiplatelet, antioxidant effects and the mechanisms of its vasorelaxant effect.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical composition of AcEO was elucidated using GC/MS analysis. Then, the antioxidant effect was tested on DPPH radical scavenging and on the prevention of β-carotene bleaching. The antiplatelet effect was performed on the presence of the platelet agonists: thrombin and ADP. The mechanism of action of the vasorelaxant effect was studied by using the cellular blockers specified to explore the involvement of NO/GC pathway and in the presence of calcium channels blockers and potassium channels blockers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AcEO is predominated by the volatiles: spathulenol, ß-eudesmol and p-cymene. The maximal antioxidant effect was obtained with the dose 2 mg/ml of AcEO. The dose 1 mg/ml of AcEO showed a maximum antiplatelet effect of, respectively 49.73% ±9.54 and 48.20% ±8.49 on thrombin and ADP. The vasorelaxation seems not to be mediated via NOS/GC pathway neither via the potassium channels. However, pretreatment with calcium channels blockers attenuated this effect, suggesting that the vasorelaxation is mediated via inhibition of L-type Ca2+channels and the activation of SERCA pumps of reticulum plasma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms the antioxidant, antiplatelet and vasorelaxant effects of A.campestris L essential oil. However, the antihypertensive use of this oil should be further confirmed by the chemical fractionation and subsequent bio-guided assays.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Ikram
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dib
authors.affiliation: Unité de Chimie Générale et Organique, Gembloux Agro-bio Tech, Université de Liège, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fauconnier
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Qualité et Sécurité des Produits Alimentaires, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Université de Liège, Gembloux, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sindic
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Belmekki
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Asmae
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Assaidi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie du Solide Minéral et Analytique, Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berrabah
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Hassane
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mekhfi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Abdelkhaleq
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Legssyer
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bnouham
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physiologie, Génétique et Ethnopharmacologie URAC-40, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Mohammed Premier, Oujda, Morocco. ziyyat@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Abderrahim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ziyyat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D009018:Morocco; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D019207:beta Carotene
keywords: Antioxidant; Antiplatelet; Artemisia campestris L; GC/MS; Vasorelaxant