BACKGROUND Xylopia frutescens Aubl. (embira, semente-de-embira or embira-vermelha), is used in folk medicine as antidiarrheal. The essential oil from its leaves (XF-EO) has been found to cause smooth muscle relaxation. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the spasmolytic action by which XF-EO acts on guinea pig ileum. METHODS The components of the XF-EO were identified by gas chroma...

1 The activity and pulmonary metabolism of two peptides, 7-homo Pro-bradykinin and 8-homo Phe-bradykinin were studied in isolated systems. 2 Both analogues were about 50-70 times less active than bradykinin on the guinea-pig ileum and 70-160 times less active on isolated strips of cat terminal ileum. 3 The action of both analogues on guinea-pig ileum was potentiated (2.5-3.0 fold) by a bradykin...

β-Arrestin2 has been reported to play an essential role in analgesic tolerance. Analgesic tolerance without concomitant tolerance to constipation is a limiting side effect of chronic morphine treatment. Because tolerance to morphine develops in the mouse ileum but not the colon, we therefore examined whether the role of β-arrestin2 in the mechanism of morphine tolerance differs in the ileum and...

  Although cisplatin is one of the most effective cancer drugs which is widely used in the treatment of various neoplasms, its side effects, especially vomiting may limit its use. It has been demonstrated that cytotoxic drugs lead to a sudden release of serotonin (5-HT). The following study was performed to determine the possible interactions of cisplatin with 5-HT receptors. In this study, the...

A study of the effect of nicorandil (N-2-(hydroxyethyl)nicotinamide nitrate, CAS 65141-46-0), a potassium channel and guanylatecyclase activator, upon preparations of rat was deferens and uterus, and guinea pig ileum was performed. Nicorandil does not modify rat isolated was deferens responses to noradrenaline (norepinephrine) and potassium. The drug exerts a non-competitive antagonist effect u...

A 3200-dalton adrenal enkephalin-containing peptide, designated peptide E, that exhibits high opiate activity in the guinea pig ileum longitudinal muscle preparation was purified, and its structure was determined. It contains an amino-terminal [Met]enkephalin sequence and a [Leu]enkephalin sequence at the carboxyl terminus. Sequence analysis revealed that peptide E arises from a previously char...

The effects of purified scorpion toxin (Tityustoxin or TsTX) were investigated on the isolated guinea-pig and rat ileum, rat spleen strip and hen rectal caecum. The contraction of the ileum was due only in part to the release of acetylcholine, whereas the contraction of the spleen strip and the relaxation of the rectal caecum were due to the release of catecholamines.

Dried sheep placenta is sometimes used in traditional medicine to facilitate labour. The effects of an extract of powdered dried sheep placenta with normal saline on guinea-pig uterus, ileum, spontaneously beating atrium and Langendorff heart, rat uterus and hindquarters, and cat blood pressure were therefore examined. It was found that 1 g of dried sheep placenta had, on the guinea-pig uterus,...

Three different types of isolated nerve-synapse preparations, guinea pig ileum, rat vas deferens and toad heart, were used to investigate the physiological activity of Huwentoxin-I, a neurotoxin from the venom of the spider Selenocosmia huwena. The twitch response of isolated guinea pig ileum induced by electrical stimulus can be inhibited by HWTX-I. After blockage, contraction of the ileum can...

Two turmeric food powders (C1 and C2) were studied for curcuminoid content their effects on the guinea pig intestinal tract in vitro. C1 contained a higher than C2 (5.22% vs 2.31%). increased gallbladder (∼10%) biliary smooth muscle tone (∼15%), without affecting sphincter of Oddi contractility. was more effective lowering ileum (–22% −37%), whereas reverse occurred colon (-50% −20%). Standard ...