Lab Anim Res.  2015 Mar;31(1):33-39. 10.5625/lar.2015.31.1.33.

The relaxing effect of Poncirus fructus and its flavonoid content on porcine coronary artery

• Yu DJ
• Jun JH
• Kim TJ
• Suh DK
• Youn DH
• Kim TW

• KMID: 1787649
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2015.31.1.33

Abstract

Coronary artery disease is a common occurrence in human, and causes enormous social cost. Poncirus fructus (PF), the dried immature fruits of Poncirus trifoliata Rafinesquem, is used in the treatment of womb contraction and dyspepsia, as a prokinetic, and in improving blood circulation. This study was performed to investigate the effects of PF and some of its flavonoids components on the coronary from the pig. The arterial ring was suspended by a pair of stainless steel stirrups in an organ bath. The end of the upper stirrup was connected to an isometric force transducer. A dose-dependent induction of relaxation was observed by both water and 70% ethanol extracts of PF in the porcine coronary artery precontracted with U46619 (100 nM), a stable analogue of the potent vasoconstrictor thromboxane A2. The 70% ethanol extract showed more efficacy than the water extract. Pretreatment of the artery with L-NAME (100 microM), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, resulted in a significant reduction in the relaxation induced by PF extract. In addition, ODQ (10 microM), a soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, also significantly reduced the effects of PF extracts. Hesperidin, a flavonoid present in PF, induced very weak relaxation of the porcine coronary artery at a high concentration (100 microM), while its aglycone, hesperetin, demonstrated a dose-dependent relaxation. In conclusion, PF extracts induced relaxation in the porcine coronary artery, partially through the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway, and the aglycones of flavonoids might be also involved in the relaxation of the same artery.

Keyword

Porcine coronary artery; Poncirus fructus; hesperidin; hesperetin

MeSH Terms

15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid
Arteries
Baths
Blood Circulation
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Vessels*
Dyspepsia
Ethanol
Flavonoids
Fruit
Guanylate Cyclase
Hesperidin
Humans
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Poncirus*
Relaxation
Stainless Steel
Thromboxane A2
Transducers
Water
15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid
Ethanol
Flavonoids
Guanylate Cyclase
Hesperidin
NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Stainless Steel
Thromboxane A2
Water

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 Effect of Poncirus fructus water and 70% ethanol extracts on porcine coronary artery. The PF (A) water and (B) 70% ethanol extract induced dose-dependent relaxation in the porcine coronary artery. (C) The 70% ethanol extract was show to be more potent than the water extract (n=8).

• 

  Figure 2 Effect of L-NAME on the relaxation activity of PF water extract on porcine coronary artery. Raw tracings expressing the effect of PF water extract on porcine coronary artery in the (A) absence or (B) presence of L-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. (C) In the presence of L-NAME, the effect of the water extract was significantly reduced. Mean±SEM, *P<0.05, n=5.

• 

  Figure 3 Effect of L-NAME on the relaxation activity of PF ethanol extract on porcine coronary artery. Raw tracings displaying the effects PF of ethanol extract on porcine coronary artery in the (A) absence or (B) presence of L-NAME. (C) L-NAME significantly inhibited the effect of the 70% ethanol extract. Mean±SEM, *P<0.05, n=5.

• 

  Figure 4 Effect of ODQ on the relaxation activity of PF water extract on porcine coronary artery. Raw tracings showing the effects of PF water extract on porcine coronary artery in the (A) absence or (B) presence of ODQ, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor. (C) In the presence of ODQ, the effect of the water extract was observed to be significantly reduced. Mean±SEM, *P<0.05, n=5.

• 

  Figure 5 Effect of ODQ on the relaxation activity of the PF ethanol extract on porcine coronary artery. Raw tracings demonstrating the effects of PF ethanol extract on porcine coronary artery in the (A) absence or (B) presence of ODQ. (C) In the presence of ODQ, the effect of the 70% ethanol extract was observed to be significantly reduced. Mean±SEM, *P<0.05, n=5.

• 

  Figure 6 Effects of hesperidin and hesperetin on porcine coronary artery. The relaxation potency of hesperetin, an aglycone of hesperidin, was greater than that of hesperidin in the porcine coronary artery. Mean±SE, n=5.

• 

  Figure 7 Effect of poncirin on porcine coronary artery. Poncirin-induced relaxation in the porcine coronary artery was pre-contracted by U46619, in a dose-dependent manner. Mean±SE, n=5.

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