Abstract
Medical plants, including Vitex agnus-castus L., Lamiaceae, were used in folk medicine for a long time; however, V. agnus-castus mechanisms of actions on trachea are not known. This study was attempted to give evidence for medicinal use of V. agnus-castus as a relaxant and to identify its underlying mechanisms. To this end, V. agnus-castus extract was extracted with ethanol and tested in rabbit tracheal smooth muscle using isolated organ baths. The V. agnus-castus extract (0.15–60 mg/ml) relaxed against acetylcholine-induced constriction in isolated rabbit tracheal smooth muscle, in vitro. Further, V. agnus-castus extract (0.15–75 mg/ml) shown relaxing effects in carbachol and high K-induced contraction of rabbit tracheal smooth muscle, implying antimuscarinic and calcium channel blocking activities. The addition (preincubation) of L-NAME (inhibitor of nitric oxide synthases), as well as indomethacin (cyclooxygenase inhibitor), inhibited (102%, 95% respectively) relaxing effects induced by V. agnus-castus extract precontracted with carbachol. On the other hand, bradykinin (stimulator of nitric oxide synthases) and zaprinast (phosphodiesterase inhibitor) further potentiated (40%, 41%, respectively) relaxing-induced effects by the V. agnus-castus extract. Our data suggest that V. agnus-castus extract airway-relaxing properties have muscarinic antagonism, are dependent on calcium blockade, and are at least partly mediated by the nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate- and cyclooxygenase-1-prostaglandin E2-dependent mechanisms. These effects justify V. agnus-castus extract use in various respiratory disorders.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to the research group of Prof. Jean Luc Wolfender, the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, EPGL, the University of Geneva, for acquiring orbitrap spectra.
Funding
This work was supported by the Small research project (Ref. nr. 2-3214/2, 2015, granted to M. Sopjani) financed by the Dpt. of Sci. and Tech. of the Republic of Kosova.
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ST, BK, and DC: performed the day-by-day experimental work, revision; EB: paper draft improving and helping in study design; MS, SA, and MDS: designed the study, performed and supervised experimental work, extract preparation, statistical analysis, scientific writing, and paper drafting, revising, and final approval for publication.
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Thaçi, S., Krasniqi, B., Cela, D. et al. Mechanisms Underlying the Tracheorelaxant Effect of Vitex agnus-castus Extract. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 30, 103–110 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-020-00009-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-020-00009-5