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Vascular relaxation induced by aqueous extract of Lespedeza cuneata via the NO-cGMP pathway

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Abstract

The aqueous extract of Lespedeza cuneata G. Don. (ALC) induced vasorelaxation of phenylephrine precontracted aorta in a dose-dependent manner. This effect disappeared in the absence of functional endothelium. Pretreatment of the aortic tissues with NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), or 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole-[4,3-α]-quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) blocked ALC-induced vascular relaxation. Incubation of endothelium-intact thoracic aortic rings with ALC increased cGMP production. ALC-induced cGMP production was blocked by pretreatment with l-NAME or ODQ. ALC-induced vascular relaxation was also markedly attenuated by addition of verapamil or diltiazem, but was not blocked by pretreatment with indomethacine, glibenclamide, tetraethylammonium, atropine, or propranolol. The results suggest that ALC dilates vascular smooth muscle via endothelium-dependent NO-cGMP signaling.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation (NRF) of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) (No. 2010-0029465).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Oriental Medicine and Hanbang Body-fluid Research Center, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, 570-749, Republic of Korea

    Jun Kyoung Lee, Dae Gill Kang & Ho-Sub Lee

  2. Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Jeonmin-dong, Yusung-gu, Daejeon, 305-811, Republic of Korea

    Jun Kyoung Lee

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  1. Jun Kyoung Lee
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Correspondence to Dae Gill Kang or Ho-Sub Lee.

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Lee, J.K., Kang, D.G. & Lee, HS. Vascular relaxation induced by aqueous extract of Lespedeza cuneata via the NO-cGMP pathway. J Nat Med 66, 17–24 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0546-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11418-011-0546-6

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