Effects of the essential oil of Croton zehntneri, and its constituent estragole on intestinal smooth muscle

✍ Scribed by Andrelina N. Coelho-de-Souza; Ednardo L. Barata; Pedro J. C. Magalhães; Crystianne C. Lima; J. H. Leal-Cardoso

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 181 KB
• Volume: 11
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0951-418X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1573(199706)11:4<299::aid-ptr99>3.0.co;2-a

✦ Synopsis

The effects on isolated guinea-pig ileum of the essential oil of Croton zehntneri (CZEO) and of its main constituent estragole (57% of CZEO by weight) were studied. CZEO and estragole (0.1-100 g/mL) decreased the tonus in 56% and 61.5%, respectively, of the muscles. At concentrations above 10 g/mL, they induced spontaneous rhythmic movements of small amplitude (less than 11% of the potassium contraction peak to peak). At concentrations from 1 to 100 g/mL and with similar potencies, these agents blocked the contractions induced by acetylcholine, histamine and 50 mM K + and caused relaxation of already established potassium contractures. Tested separately, CZEO, estragole and anethole (28% of CZEO by weight) blocked the contraction induced by Ca ++ in the presence of 50 mM K + , but CZEO was more potent than estragole or anethole in blocking the Ca ++induced contractions than those induced by K + . With large increases in the agonist concentration, the action of the oils on the contractions induced by Ca ++ was reversible; however, their effect on contractions induced by histamine or ACh was not. The data show that the essential oil of Croton zehntneri has an effect on intestinal smooth muscle that is predominantly antispasmodic, and attributable in part to the effect of estragole, a major constituent.