Inhibitory actions of eugenol on rat isolated ileum
The effects of eugenol (12000 μM) on rat isolated ileum were studied. Eugenol relaxed the basal tonus (IC50 83 μM) and the ileum precontracted with 60 mM KCl (IC50 162 μM), an action unaltered by 0.5 μM tetrodotoxin, 0.2 mM NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, 0.5 mM hexamethonium, and 1 μM indomethacin. Eugenol did not alter the resting transmembrane potential (Em) of the longitudinal muscle layer under normal conditions (5.0 mM K+) or in depolarised tissues. Eugenol reversibly inhibited contractions induced by submaximal concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) and K+ (40 mM) with IC50 values of approximately 228 and 237 μM, respectively. Eugenol blocked the component of ACh-induced contraction obtained in Ca2+-free solution (0.2 mM EGTA) or in the presence of nifedipine (1 μM). Our results suggest that eugenol induces relaxation of rat ileum by a direct action on smooth muscle via a mechanism largely independent of alterations of Em and extracellular Ca2+ influx.Key words: essential oil, eugenol, ileum, smooth muscle, antispasmodic.