| Title | Antispasmodic and bronchodilator activities of Artemisia vulgaris are mediated through dual blockade of muscarinic receptors and calcium influx. | | Author(s) | Khan AU, Gilani AH | | Institution | Natural product Research Division, Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, The Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi-74800, Pakistan; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat-26000, Pakistan. | | Source | J Ethnopharmacol 2009 Sep 11. | | Abstract | AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study describes antispasmodic, antidiarrheal, bronchodilatory and tracheo-relaxant activities of Artemisia vulgaris to rationalize some of its traditional uses.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude extract of Artemisia vulgaris (Av.Cr) was studied in the isolated tissue preparations of rabbit jejunum and guinea-pig trachea, as well as in the in vivo casor oil-induced diarrhea and bronchodilatory techniques.
RESULTS: Av.Cr which tested positive for alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, tannins and terpenes caused concentration-dependent (0.03-10mg/mL) relaxation of jejunum spontaneous contractions. Av.Cr inhibited the carbachol (CCh, 1muM) and K(+) (80mM)-induced contractions in a pattern, similar to that of dicyclomine. Av.Cr shifted the Ca(++) concentration-response curves to right, like that caused by verapamil and dicyclomine. Av.Cr produced rightward parallel shift in CCh-curves, followed by non-parallel shift at higher concentration with suppression of the maximum response, similar to that caused by dicyclomine. It exhibited protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhea and CCh-mediated bronchoconstriction in rodents. In trachea, Av.Cr relaxed the CCh (1muM) and K(+) (80mM)-induced contractions and shifted the CCh-curves to right.
CONCLUSION: These results indicates that Artemisia vulgaris exhibit combination of anticholinergic and Ca(++) antagonist mechanisms, which provides pharmacological basis for its folkloric use in the hyperactive gut and airways disorders, such as abdominal colic, diarrhea and asthma. | | Language | ENG | | Pub Type(s) | JOURNAL ARTICLE
| | PubMed ID | 19751814 |
|
