Antiasthmatic effect of Curcuma aeruginosa extract on isolated organ of the trachea

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a major health problem worldwide. Antiasthma drugs have side effects and can be expensive. It is important to develop antiasthma drugs from medicinal plants that have fewer side effects and are cheaper. One of the medicinal plants used for antiasthma treatment comes from Curcuma aeruginosa (Zingiberaceae family). The aim of the research is to examine spasmolytic activity of ethanol extract of C. aeruginosa on isolated guinea pig tracheas to determine the antiasthma effects. Methods: The spasmolytic activity of C. aeruginosa extracts was tested in separated organs of guinea pig trachea. Guinea pig was sacrificed and its trachea rings were suspended in L-shaped wire loops in organ baths containing the Krebs solution aerated with carbogen. Isometric contractions of tracheal rings were measured by the transducer coupled to the amplifier. The trachea rings were exposed to DMSO as negative control, aminophylline as positive control and C. aeruginosa extracts. The single concentration-relaxation curve was obtained in every preparation. Results: The result showed that the decrease of the spasmolytic activity in the guinea pig tracheal tone due to C. aeruginosa extract was significantly better (p=0.022) when compared to the negative control. Meanwhile, the EC50 value of aminophylline (0.019 ± 0.05) was not significantly different (p=0.454) with C. aeruginosa (0.024 ± 0.05). Conclusion: It could be concluded that C. aeruginosa extracts have the potency to be further developed as a new natural source of the antiasthma agents.