Alkaloids extracted from lotus leaves might be a new complementary treatment to treat abnormal contractions of the trachea and asthma. - GreenMedInfo Summary
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Nelumbo nucifera leaves extracts inhibit mouse airway smooth muscle contraction.
BMC Complement Altern Med. 2017 Mar 20 ;17(1):159. Epub 2017 Mar 20. PMID: 28320373
Xiao Yang
BACKGROUND: Alkaloids extracted from lotus leaves (AELL) can relax vascular smooth muscle. However, whether AELL has a similar relaxant role on airway smooth muscle (ASM) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the relaxant property of AELL on ASM and the underlying mechanism.
METHODS: Alkaloids were extracted from dried lotus leaves using the high temperature rotary evaporation extraction method. The effects of AELL on mouse ASM tension were studied using force measuring and patch-clamp techniques.
RESULTS: It was found that AELL inhibited the high K(+) or acetylcholine chloride (ACh)-induced precontraction of mouse tracheal rings by 64.8 ± 2.9%, or 48.8 ± 4.7%, respectively. The inhibition was statistically significant and performed in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, AELL-induced smooth muscle relaxation was partially mediated by blocking voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (VDCC) and non-selective cation channels (NSCC).
CONCLUSION: AELL, which plays a relaxant role in ASM, might be a new complementary treatment to treat abnormal contractions of the trachea and asthma.