A Study on the Hypotensive Action of Akebiae Lignum Ethanol Extract in Rabbits

목통(木通) Ethanol Extract의 혈압강하작용(血壓降下作用)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究)

Effects of Akebiae Lignum, whose scientific name is Akebia quinata Decaisne, on the blood pressure were investigated with EtOH extract in whole and spinal rabbits. Akebia Lignum EtOH extract (AEE), when given intravenously, produced a fall in blood pressure not only in whole rabbit but also in spinal rabbit and AEE administered into a lateral cerebral ventricle of whole rabbit did not elicit a fall in blood pressure. The depressor responses of the whole rabbit to intravenous AEE were weakened by treatment of the animals with atropine and chlorisondamine but not by vagotominijation, phentolamine avil, and then the depressor action causing by AEE in the whole rabbit was not affected by pretreatment of physostigmine which is cholinesterase inhibitor and of hemicholinium which blocks acetylcholine synthesis by interfering with choline uptake in nerves. These observations suggest that the hypotensive action of AEE of which component is not affected by cholinesterase is due to direct action at parasympathetic receptor.