Paullinia pinnata extracts rich in polyphenols promote vascular relaxation via endothelium-dependent mechanisms

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2006 Apr;47(4):599-608. doi: 10.1097/01.fjc.0000211734.53798.1d.

Abstract

Paullinia pinnata L. (Sapindaceae) is an African tropical plant whose roots and leaves are used in traditional medicine for many purposes, especially for erectile dysfunction, but its action mechanism is unknown. P. pinnata root and leaf methanolic extracts are rich in phenolic compounds. This study shows that both extracts are highly antioxidative and induce a slight transcriptional activity of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-alpha. They also increased and decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase and endothelin-1 mRNA levels in bovine aortic endothelial cells, respectively. In this study P. pinnata methanolic extracts in cumulative doses elicited in a dose-dependent manner the relaxation of phenylephrine precontracted isolated rat aortic rings. N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester significantly attenuated the capacity of both extracts to induce arterial relaxation, indicating that this arterial relaxation was mediated by endothelial nitric oxide release. It could be suggested that the arterial relaxation induced by both extracts could be mainly linked to their capacities to inhibit nitric oxide oxidation through their antioxidant properties.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelin-1 / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / drug effects*
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide / metabolism
  • Hypochlorous Acid / pharmacology
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Lipoproteins, LDL / metabolism
  • Male
  • Muscle Contraction / drug effects
  • Muscle Relaxation / drug effects
  • Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / drug effects*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • PPAR alpha / biosynthesis
  • Paullinia / chemistry*
  • Phenols / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Polyphenols
  • RNA / biosynthesis
  • RNA / isolation & purification
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Superoxides / metabolism

Substances

  • Endothelin-1
  • Flavonoids
  • Lipoproteins, LDL
  • PPAR alpha
  • Phenols
  • Plant Extracts
  • Polyphenols
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Superoxides
  • RNA
  • Hypochlorous Acid
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III