Relaxant effects of different fractions of essential oil from Carum copticum on guinea pig tracheal chains

Abstract

In previous studies, the relaxant and anticholinergic (functional antagonism), histamine(H1) inhibitory, and xanthine-like activity effect of Carum copticum have been demonstrated on guinea pig tracheal chains. To investigate the effective component(s) of this plant, responsible for the observed bronchodilatory effect, fractionation of the essential oil from Carum copticum was carried out and the relaxant effects of different fractions were examined in this study. The bronchodilatory effect of different fractions of essential oil from Carum copticum and theophylline in comparison with ethanol was examined by their relaxant effects on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by 60 mM KCl (group 1) and 10 microM methacholine in two different conditions including: non-incubated tissues (group 2) and incubated tissues with 1 microM propranolol and 1 microM chlorpheniramine (group 3). In addition the relaxant effect of carvacrol was also examined on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by 10 microM methacholine (group 4), (for each group, n = 5). In group 1 experiments, only theophylline and fraction 2 showed significant relaxant effect compared to that of ethanol. Fraction 2 and 3 of essential oil from carum copticum showed potent and volume (concentration) dependent relaxant effects comparable to that of theophylline in groups 2 and 3 experiments. The relaxant effects of different volumes of these two fractions were significantly higher than that of ethanol (p < 0.05 to p < 0.002 ). The volumes of fraction 1 showed relatively small relaxant effects in groups 2 and 3 experiments which were not significantly different from that of ethanol. However, the relaxant effect of different volumes of fractions 2 and 3 obtained in group 2 experiments were not significantly different from those of group 3 experiments. The volumes of fraction 4 did not show any relaxant effects. In addition volumes of carvacrol also showed comparable relaxant effect with those of fraction 2 and theophylline which was significantly greater than that of ethanol. These results indicate that the relaxant effect of essential oil from carum copticum is mainly due to its fraction 2 which is presumably carvacrol and to lesser extent due to fraction 3, and their relaxant effects are not due to anticholinergic or beta-adrenegic stimulatory effects.

Relaxant effect of ethanol extract ofCarum carvion dispersed intestinal smooth muscle cells of the guinea pig

“…In previous in vitro studies, reduced activity of tracheal SMC by C. carvi and C. copticum L. extracts was demonstrated (Boskabady et al, 2003;Reiter & Brandt, 1985). Recently, Gilani and his co-workers (2005) demonstrated that C. copticum extract has reduced spontaneous contractile activity and inhibited K + -induced contractions in intestinal preparation of rabbits.…”

“…None of these studies clearly defined the effects of caraway on gastro-intestinal motor activities, as the clinical dyspeptic syndrome is a complex pathophysiological process in which alteration of motility, alteration of sensation as well as psychosocial factors are involved in the generation of dyspepsia (Camilleri, 2001). Caraway oil inhibited the motor activities of SMC of the gallbladder, stomach, trachea and ileum (Boskabady et al, 2003;Goerg & Spilker, 2003;Micklefield et al, 2003;Reiter & Brandt, 1985). Recently, in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated antihypertensive, antispasmodic, bronchodilator and hepatoprotective activities for C. copticum seeds (Gilani et al, 2005).…”

The analgesic effect of Carum copticum extract and morphine on phasic pain in mice

“…There is a report describing that essential oil of Carum copticum has parasympathomimetic activity and produces contraction of the smooth muscle, such as guinea pig's ileum and the bronchial musculature (Devasankaraiah et al, 1974). Recent reports indicate its relaxant activity on guinea pig's tracheal chain (Boskabadi et al, 2003) via inhibitory action on H 1 Histaminic receptors (Boskabadi and Shaikhi, 2000). Also the antitussive effect of Carum copticum is reported in guinea pigs (Boskabady et al, 2005).…”

The Inhibitory Effects of Ferula assafoetida on Muscarinic Receptors of Guinea-Pig Tracheal Smooth Muscle

“…Each trachea was cut into 8 -10 ring shaped pieces. Each piece containing two to three cartilaginous rings, which was cut open opposite the tracheal muscle, and sutured together to form a tracheal chain (24). The tissue was suspended in a 10 mL organ bath (organ bath 61300, Bio Science Palmer-Washington, Sheerness, Kent U.K.) containing Krebs-Henseleit solution (25).…”