Open AccessMechanisms of the Dilator Action of Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) on Rat Isolated Femoral Artery
Author(s) -
Fung Lam,
John H.K. Yeung,
Jessica Cheung
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.762
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1533-4023
pISSN - 0160-2446
DOI - 10.1097/01.fjc.0000175439.94906.e9
Subject(s) - pharmacology , phenylephrine , dilator , chemistry , salvia miltiorrhiza , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , tetraethylammonium , histamine , medicine , agonist , receptor , endocrinology , potassium , alternative medicine , organic chemistry , traditional chinese medicine , pathology , blood pressure
This study investigates the actions of Danshen crude extract (Salvia miltiorrhiza) on rat isolated femoral artery rings precontracted with phenylephrine. Low concentrations of Danshen (10 to 30 microg/mL) enhanced the phenylephrine-precontracted tone by a maximum of 31.20+/-2.71%. At concentrations 100 microg/mL or above, Danshen relaxed the precontracted tone, with full relaxation obtained at 1 mg/mL. Involvement of endothelium-dependant mechanisms in the dilator effect of Danshen was investigated by pretreatment of the artery rings with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor flurbiprofen (10 microM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM), a muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (100 nM), and by mechanical removal of the endothelium; none of these procedures produced a significant change on the Danshen-induced effect. Involvement of endothelium-independent mechanisms was investigated in endothelium-denuded artery rings pretreated with a histamine H2 receptor antagonist cimetidine (10 microM), a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (100 nM), an adenylyl cyclase inhibitor 9-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-9H-purine-6-amine (SQ22536, 100 microM), a guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 10 microM), and a potassium channel inhibitor tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 and 100 mM); only TEA was effective in partially inhibiting the Danshen-induced effect. These findings suggest the dilator action of Danshen on rat femoral artery was mediated in part by the opening of TEA-sensitive K+ channels in the smooth muscle cells. Muscarinic receptors, histamine receptors, beta-adrenoceptors, endothelium-derived relaxant factors, adenylyl cyclase, and guanylyl cyclase-dependent pathways did not play a role in its vasodilatory effect.