Antispasmodic effect of Mentha piperita essential oil on tracheal smooth muscle of rats
2010
de Sousa, Albertina Antonielly Sydney | Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes | de Almeida, Arisa Nara Saldanha | Maia, Alana Rufino | de Souza, Emmanuel Prata | Assreuy, Ana Maria Sampaio
Aim of the study: Mentha piperita is a plant popularly known in Brazil as “hortelã-pimenta” whose essential oil is used in folk medicine for its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, expectorant actions and anti-congestive. Here, it was investigated the effect of Mentha piperita essential oil (peppermint oil) in rat tracheal rings along with its mechanism of action. Materials and methods: Tracheal tissue from Male Wistar rats (250-300g) were used. Peppermint oil was added in cumulative concentrations [1-300μg/ml] to the tissue basal tonus or pre-contracted by carbachol [10μM] at 10min intervals, incubated or not with indomethacin [10μM], l-N-metyl-nitro-arginine [100μM], hexamethonium [500μM], or tetraethylammonium [5mM]. Results: Peppermint oil [100 and 300μg/ml] inhibited the contractions induced by carbachol, which was reversed by indomethacin, l-N-metyl-nitro-arginine and hexamethonium, but not by tetraethylammonium. These data suggest the participation of prostaglandin E₂, nitric oxide and autonomic ganglions in the peppermint oil relaxant effect and may be correlated with its popular use in respiratory diseases. Conclusions: Peppermint oil exhibited antispasmodic activity on rat trachea involving prostaglandins and nitric oxide synthase.
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