초록
Objective : This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Sunghyangchungisan (SHCS) on the regulation of vascular tone and $Ca^{2+}$ metabolism in arterial tissues. Vascular rings isolated from rabbit carotid artery were myographed isometrically in isolated organ baths and the effect of SHCS on contractile activities, endothelial function and $Ca^{2+}$ metabolism were determined. Methods : In phentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rabbits, SHCS administered through ear vein (100 mg/Kg body wt.) or intragastric dwelling tube (300 mg/Kg body wt.) attenuated phenylephrine (PE, 10 ${\mu}g$/Kg, i.v.)-induced increases in both systolic and diastolic cartoid arterial blood pressure. Results : In experiments with isolated arterial strips, SHCS relaxed arterial rings which were pre-contracted by phenylephrine (PE, 1 ${\mu}M$). The responses to SHCS were partially dose-dependent at concentrations lower than 0.5 mg/ml. When SHCS was applied prior to the exposure to PE, it inhibited the PE-induced contraction by a similar magnitude which was comparable to the relaxation of pre-contracted arterial rings. Washout of SHCS after observing its relaxant effect resulted in a full recovery of PE-induced contractions, indicating that the action mechanism is reversible. The observation that SHCS did not change the $ED_{50)$ of PE oh its dose-response curve ruled out the possible interaction of SHCS with ${\alpha}$-receptors. The relaxant effect of SHCS was not affected by removal of endothelium or a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME. Methylene blue, an inhibitor of the soluble guanylate cyclase, did not affect the relaxant effect of SHCS. These results suggest that the action of SHCS is not mediated by the endothelium nor soluble guanylate cyclase. Constant cGMP production determined in arterial strips in the presence or absence of SHCS is consistent with this conclusion. When contraction was induced by additive application of $Ca^{2+}$ in arterial rings which were pre-depolarized by high $K^+$ in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution, the relaxant effect of SHCS was attenuated by increasing the $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. SHCS, when applied to the arterial rings pre-contracted by PE and then relaxed by nifedipine, a $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker, did not show additive relaxation. SHCS partially blocked $Ca^{2+}$ influx stimulated by PE and high $K^+$ which was determined by 5-min ^{45}Ca$ uptake, while it did not affect $Ca^{2+}$ efflux. Conclusions : From above results, it is suggested that SHCS relax PE-induced contraction of rabbit carotid artery in an endothelium independent manner, andinhibition of $Ca^{2+}$ influx may contribute to the underling mechanism.
