Relaxant Effect of Urginea maritima on Tracheal Smooth Muscle Mediated by the Effect on Beta-2 Adrenergic, Muscarinic Receptors and Calcium and Potassium Channels

Abstract

Urginea maritima (U. maritima) showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, diuretic, vasodilatation, and wound-healing effects on fungal infections, cardiac disorders, digestive disorders, rheumatoid disease, and respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, bronchial nosocomial infections, and severe cough. To examine the bronchodilatory effect of U. maritima, the relaxant effect of its extract on rat tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) and its possible mechanism was examined in this study. Male Wistar rats’ TSM were divided into eight groups (n = 8 in each group). Four of these groups were TSM tissues, contracted with KCl (60 mM) incubated with atropine, glibenclamide, and indomethacin and nonincubated TSM, while the other four groups were TSM tissues contracted with methacholine (10 μM) for 5 min, incubated with propranolol, chlorpheniramine, and diltiazem and nonincubated TSM. Cumulative concentrations of U. maritima extract (12.5, 25, 50, 100, 20, and 400 μg/ml) were then added to organ bath every 5 min. Theophylline (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 mM) as positive control and saline (1 ml) as negative control were also examined in nonincubated tissues. A concentration-dependent relaxant effect of U. maritima on nonincubated TSM contracted with KCl (60 mM) or methacholine (10 μM) ( p < 0.01 and p < 0.001 ) was observed. The relaxant effects of U. maritima extract in the incubated tissues with glibenclamide, propranolol, diltiazem, atropine, and chlorpheniramine were significantly lower than those in the nonincubated tissues ( p < 0.05 to p < 0.001 ). EC50 values of U. maritima extract in the incubated TSM with glibenclamide, propranolol, diltiazem, and atropine were significantly higher than those in the nonincubated tissues ( p < 0.05 for diltiazem-incubated tissues and p < 0.001 for other cases). U. maritima extract displayed considerable relaxant effect on TSM comparable to the effect of theophylline. Beta-2 adrenoceptor stimulation and muscarinic receptor inhibition as well as potassium opening and calcium channels blocking effects are the possible mechanisms for the relaxant effects of the plant.

Bulbous Plants Drimia: “A Thin Line between Poisonous and Healing Compounds” with Biological Activities

“…For example, traditionally, Urginea maritima (D. maritima) has been utilized for the treatment of cardiac disorders and fungal infections and as a diuretic agent. Hence, Kazemi Rad and colleagues [61] investigated the relaxation effect of U. maritima on rat tracheal smooth muscles. It was suggested that the incubated tissues compressing U. maritima extract showed significantly higher relaxant outcomes compared to the nonincubated tissues.…”

“…It was suggested that the incubated tissues compressing U. maritima extract showed significantly higher relaxant outcomes compared to the nonincubated tissues. The bronchodilatory effect of the plant extract promotes the beta-2 adrenoceptor and prevents the muscarinic receptor, potassium opening and calcium channels [61]. The anti-inflammatory activity of D. nagarjunae extracts from the leaves and bulbs of the plant using in vitro protein denaturation techniques was investigated further.…”