BACKGROUND: Procyanidins is a kind of polyphenol compounds in regnum vegetable, which is composed of different quantities of catechin and epicatechin. Studies show that procyanidins plays a role on protecting vascular endothelium, scavenging free radicals, resisting platelet aggregation, and reducing capillary permeability. Thus, procyanidins has obviously functions of reducing blood pressure, anti-oxidant activity, anti-edema, preventing coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE: To study the vasorelaxant effect of procyanidins on pulmonic rings and its mechanisms.
METHODS: Rabbit thoracic pulmonary arteries were isolated. Pre-contracted with noradrenalin (1×10-6 mol/L) and their responses to different concentrations of procyanidins (0.625, 1.25, 2.5 mg/L) were investigated. After removal of the endothelium of pulmonary artery smooth muscle, the effects of different signaling pathway inhibitors on procyanidins-induced relaxation, including nitric oxide synthase inhibitor Nω-Nitro-L-arginine (1×10-4 mol/L), methylene blue (1×10-5 mol/L), prostaglandin synthase inhibitor indomethacin (1×10-5 mol/L) and blockage of the adrenergic β-receptor propranolol (1×10-5 mol/L), were also assessed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Procyanidins did not change the resting tension of rabbit’s pulmonic rings, but caused an obvious dose-dependent relaxation in 1×10-6 mol/L noradrenalin-precontracted pulmonic rings (r=0.69, P < 0.001). (2) The relaxant effect of procyanidins was significantly reduced by removal of endothelium or by treatment with either
Nω-Nitro-L-arginine or methylene blue, but not by treatment with prostaglandin synthase inhibitor or blockage of the adrenergic β-receptor. (3) Procyanidins (20 mg/L) dropped the dose-effect curves of noradrenalin, KCl and on pulmonic rings denuded endothelium. Moreover, affinity index of noradrenalin, KCl and CaCl
2 decreased (
P < 0.01). (4) Procyanidins also inhibited the vasoconstriction caused by noradrenalin in the first phase, but had no impact on the constriction induced by CaCl
2 in the second phase. (5) Procyanidins has an endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation on isolated rabbit’s pulmonic rings, which is possibly mediated by nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathways. Procyanidins blocked receptor-operated and voltage-dependent calcium channels to reduce intracellular Ca
2+, and induced vasorelaxation.
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