Journal of
Medicinal Plants Research

  • Abbreviation: J. Med. Plants Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0875
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMPR
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 3834

Full Length Research Paper

Spasmolytic activity of Hyptis macrostachys Benth. (Lamiaceae)

Iara Leão Luna de Souza1, Gislaine Alves de Oliveira1, Rafael de Almeida Travassos1,Luiz Henrique César Vasconcelos1, Ana Carolina de Carvalho Correia1, Italo Rossi Roseno Martins1, Massilon da Silva Moreira dos Santos Júnior1, Vicente Carlos de Oliveira Costa1, Josean Fechine Tavares1,2, Marcelo Sobral da Silva1,2 and Bagnólia Araújo da Silva1,2*
1Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Campus I, 58.051‑970, PO Box 5009, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. 2Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas (DCF), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, 58.051-970, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 26 August 2013
  •  Published: 03 September 2013

Abstract

Hyptis is a worldwide genus cited by its medicinal uses. Hyptis macrostachys Benth., a species popularly known in Brazil as “alfavaca-brava” and “hortelã‑do‑mato”, is used in folk medicine to relief asthma, cough and bronchitis symptoms. Thus, this study investigated a possible spasmolytic effect of the aerial parts ethanol extract from H. macrostachys Benth. (HM-EtOHPA) on several smooth muscle models. On the rat aorta, the uterus was observed and guinea pig trachea HM‑EtOHPA did not show relevant spasmolytic action in all tested concentrations (243 to 729 μg/ml). However, on guinea pig ileum, HM‑EtOHPA (9 to 729 μg/ml) significantly (p < 0.001) inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the contractions induced by carbachol (CCh) 10-6 M and histamine 10‑6 M as well as relaxed this organ in an equipotent and concentration‑dependent (1 to 729 μg/ml) manner when pre-contracted with CCh 10‑6 M, histamine 10-6 M and KCl 40 mM, suggesting its actions in the voltage‑gated calcium channels (CaV) blockade. Since HM-EtOHPA (9 to 729 μg/ml) inhibited Ca2+‑induced contractions in Ca2+-free depolarizing medium and relaxed ileum pre-contracted with S-(-)-Bay K8644 (3 × 10-7 M) in a concentration‑dependent manner, the hypothesis of Cawas confirmed. Thus, H. macrostachys Benth. showed a selective spasmolytic action on guinea pig ileum by blocking Ca2+ entry through Ca.

 

Key words: Lamiaceae, Hyptis macrostachys Benth., relaxant, antispasmodic, calcium channel.