Croton sonderianus essential oil samples distinctly affect rat airway smooth muscle

Pinho-da-Silva, L.; Mendes-Maia, P.V.; do Nascimento Garcia, T.M.; Cruz, J.S.; de Morais, S.M.; Coelho-de-Souza, A.N.; Lahlou, S.; Leal-Cardoso, J.H.

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.01.015

« Previous Next »Phytomedicine
Volume 17, Issue 10 , Pages 721-725, August 2010

Croton sonderianus essential oil samples distinctly affect rat airway smooth muscle

L. Pinho-da-Silva
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
- These authors contributed equally to this work
P.V. Mendes-Maia
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
- These authors contributed equally to this work
T.M. do Nascimento Garcia
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
J.S. Cruz
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos #6627, ICB-UFMG, 31270-010, Belo Horizonte, BH, Brazil
- Corresponding authors. Fax: +558531019810.
S.M. de Morais
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
A.N. Coelho-de-Souza
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
S. Lahlou
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
J.H. Leal-Cardoso
- Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, 60740-000 Fortaleza, Ceará, CE, Brazil
- Corresponding authors. Fax: +558531019810.

published online 22 February 2010.

Abstract

Plants of the genus Croton have been used extensively in the northeast of Brazil for treating various clinical conditions. Previous studies have demonstrated that the essential oil of some specimens of Croton sp. have a relaxing effect on tracheal smooth muscle. Our study aimed to characterize the effects of Croton sonderianus essential oil samples, collected at 1:00pm (EO-13) and 9:00pm (EO-21), on rat tracheal smooth muscle. The two samples were submitted to gas chromatography (GC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analysis to identify their components. Rat tracheal smooth muscle strips were used to assess the biological activity.

The major constituents of EO-21 were: spathulenol (18.32%), β-caryophyllene (14.58%) and caryophyllene oxide (8.54%) and the major constituents of EO-13 were bicyclogermacrene (16.29%), β-phellandrene (15.42%) and β-caryophyllene (13.82%). These samples showed an antispasmodic effect on tracheal smooth muscle strips pre-contracted with high K⁺ concentration (80mM) or with acetylcholine. EO-21 increased baseline tonus while EO-13 provoked a decrease.

These results demonstrated that EO-13 and EO-21 have different chemical composition and showed myorelaxant activity. In conclusion, EO-13 and EO-21 may have potential therapeutic use in the treatment of bronchospasm.

Keywords: Croton sonderianus, Essential oils, Tracheal smooth muscle