Effect of Ethanol Extracts of Raw and Boiled Bracken on Blood Pressure in Cats

고사리 (Pteridium aquilinum) Ethanol 추출액(抽出液)에 의한 혈압강하작용(血壓降下作用)

The death of cattle from acute bracken poisoning has been recognized for many years. Acute bracken poisoning is characterized by mucoidal nasal and anal hemorrhage, severe anorexia. pyrexia, gastric ulcer and myocardial damage. In 1958 Evans first suggested that clinical picture of bracken poisoning was very much similar to that of radiation injuries such as aplastic anemia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and increased capillary fragility. Bracken has been clearly demonstrated to contain a carcinogen as well as thiaminase. However, the nature of carcinogen in bracken has not definetely elucidated. Also it was warned by several workers that bracken could be a causative factor for stomach cancer in Korean and Japanese. It appears that little is known on the e(feet of bracken on the function of cardiovascular system. Therefore the present study was designed to explore effects of ethanol extract of raw and toiled bracken (RBEE:BBEE) on blood pressure in cats. Also studied was the mechanism underlying changed in blood pressure of cats by bracken. The result obtained were as follows; 1) Mean arterial blood pressure was invariably decreased following administration of either RBEE or BBEE. Tn general depressor responses to RBEE persisted longer than that to BBEE. Generally, depressor responses were proportional to debases of RBEE and BBEE administered. 2) After administration of 60 mg/kg RBEB and BBEE, blood Pressure decreased by $62.1{\pm}1.7mmHg$ and $68.0{\pm}3.0mmHg$, respectively. No change was observed between depressor responses to RBEE and that to BBEE. 3) Depressor responses to BBEE and RBEE were not affected by vagotomy, propranolol and regitine. 4) In atropinized animal depressor responses to BBEE and RBEE were reduced by 30-40% showing part of depressor response was resulted from cholinergic effect of bracken.