In-vitro characterization of the pharmacological effects induced by (-)-α-bisabolol in rat smooth muscle preparations

de Siqueira RJ, Freire WB, Vasconcelos-Silva AA, Fonseca-Magalhães PA, Lima FJ, Brito TS, Mourão LT, Ribeiro RA, Lahlou S, Magalhães PJ
Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2012


ABSTRACT:

The present study deals with the pharmacological effects of the sesquiterpene alcohol (-)-α-bisabolol on various smooth-muscle preparations from rats. Under resting tonus, (-)-α-bisabolol (30-300 µmol/L) relaxed duodenal strips, whereas it showed biphasic effects in other preparations, contracting endothelium-intact aortic rings and urinary bladder strips, and relaxing these tissues at higher concentrations (600-1000 µmol/L). In preparations precontracted either electromechanically (by 60 mmol/L K(+)) or pharmacomechanically (by phenylephrine or carbachol), (-)-α-bisabolol showed only relaxing properties. The pharmacological potency of (-)-α-bisabolol was variable, being higher in mesenteric vessels, whereas it exerted relaxing activity with a lesser potency on tracheal or colonic tissues. In tissues possessing spontaneous activity, (-)-α-bisabolol completely decreased spontaneous contractions in duodenum, whereas it increased their amplitude in urinary bladder tissue. Administered in vivo, (-)-α-bisabolol attenuated the increased responses of carbachol in tracheal rings of ovalbumin-sensitized rats challenged with ovalbumin, but was without effect in the decreased responsiveness of urinary bladder strips in mice treated with ifosfamide. In summary, (-)-α-bisabolol is biologically active in smooth muscle. In some tissues, (-)-α-bisabolol preferentially relaxed contractions induced electromechanically, especially in tracheal smooth muscle. The findings from tracheal rings reveal that (-)-α-bisabolol may be an inhibitor of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels.

CITATION:

de Siqueira RJ, Freire WB, Vasconcelos-Silva AA, Et Al. In-vitro characterization of the pharmacological effects induced by (-)-α-bisabolol in rat smooth muscle preparations. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012;90(1):23-35.


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