| Title |
Pharmacological explanation for the medicinal use of Juniperus excelsa in hyperactive gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Journal of Natural Medicines, December 2011
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s11418-011-0605-z |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Munasib Khan, Arif-ullah Khan, Najeeb-ur-Rehman, Anwarul-Hassan Gilani |
| Abstract |
Crude extract of Juniperus excelsa (JeExt), which tested positive for the presence of anthraquinone, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, terpenes and tannin, exhibited a protective effect against castor oil-induced diarrhoea in mice at 100-1000 mg/kg. In rabbit jejunum preparations, JeExt (0.01-1.0 mg/mL) caused relaxation of spontaneous and K(+) (80 mM)-induced contractions at similar concentrations to papaverine, whereas verapamil was relatively more potent against K(+). JeExt (0.03-0.3 mg/mL) shifted Ca(2+) concentration-response curves to the right, like papaverine or verapamil. JeExt (0.003-0.01 mg/mL) caused a leftward shift of isoprenaline-induced inhibitory concentration-response curves, similar to papaverine. JeExt (1.0-30 mg/kg) caused suppression of carbachol (CCh, 100 μg/kg)-induced increase in inspiratory pressure of anaesthetized rats. In guinea-pig trachea, JeExt (0.001-3.0 mg/mL) relaxed CCh (1 μM)- and high K(+)-induced contractions and shifted isoprenaline-induced inhibitory curves to the left. This study suggests that Juniperus excelsa possibly exhibits a combination of Ca(2+) antagonist and phosphodiesterase inhibitory effects, which provides a pharmacological basis for its traditional use in disorders of gut and airways hyperactivity, such as diarrhoea, colic and asthma. |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 32 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1 | 3% |
| Unknown | 31 | 97% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 8 | 25% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 6 | 19% |
| Student > Bachelor | 2 | 6% |
| Other | 2 | 6% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 5 | 16% |
| Unknown | 8 | 25% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 7 | 22% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 7 | 22% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 1 | 3% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 1 | 3% |
| Economics, Econometrics and Finance | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 3 | 9% |
| Unknown | 12 | 38% |