• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.141-154
• /
• 2003

Objectives : This study was undertaken to define the effect of Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium on phenylephrine-induced arterial contraction and the mechanism of Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Foliuminduced relaxation. Methods : In order to investigate the effect of Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium on contracted rabbit carotid arterial strips, transverse strips with intact or damaged endothelium were used for the experiment using organ bath. Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium extract was infused into contracted arterial strips induced by phenylephrine. To analyze the mechanism of Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium-induced relaxation, Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium extract was infused into contracted arterial strips induced by phenylephrine after treatment with indomethacin, $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$, methylene blue or tetraethylammonium chloride, and $Ca^{2+}$ was infused into contracted arterial strips induced by phenylephrine after treatment of Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution. Results : Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium showed relaxation effect on arterial strip with endothelium contracted by phenylephrine, but in the strips without endothelium, Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited. The endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium was decreased by pretreatment with $N{\omega}-nitro-L-arginine$ or methylene blue but it was not observed in the strips pretreated with indomethacin or tetraethylammonium chloride. When $Ca^{2+}$ was applied to the strips which were contracted by phenylephrine in a $Ca^{2+}$-free solution, arterial contraction was increased. However, pretreatment with Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium inhibited contractile response to $Ca^{2+}$. Conclusions : Diospyros kaki L. Radix or Diospyros kaki L. Folium may suppress influx of extra- cellular $Ca^{2+}$ through the formation of nitric oxide in the vascular endothelial cells.