• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.43-54
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• 1974

The cactus family Cactaceae, numbering about 1,500 species, is a fleshy-stemmed perennial plant which is principally distributed in the south and north America. On the other hand, the cactus plant is presumed to be introduced into Korea in 1912-1945, thereafter it has been cultivated merely in favor of ornamentation with the exception of being occasionally used as medication among laymen. Opuntia elata which belongs to Opuntia genus, the Cactaceae family is one of the cacti being cultivated a great deal in Korea. Cho et. al. reported in 1974 that Opuntia dilenii manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect and oxytocic effect, and its mechanism might be partially due to the direct action. Besides this, there are few reports on the pharmacological research concerning Opuntia genus to be demonstrated in Korea. However, some other cacti have the remarkable pharmacological effects; the active ingredients, mescaline, anhalamine, anhalanine, etc. from Peyote cactus (Lophophora williamsii) belonging to Lophophora genus have the psychotomimetic and sympathomimetic effects, and the cardioactive glycosides from Cactus Grandifolius (Selenicereus grandiflorus) belonging to Cereus genus have the cardioactive and diuretic effects. The authors hereby inquired into this study to find out the propriety of the pharmacological properties of the ethanol extract of Opuntia elata (EX) on the heart, blood pressure, respiration, intestine and uterus in the experimental animals. The results of the experiment were as follows: 1. Administration of EX manifested the cardiac inhibitory effect caused by the negative inotropic action in the isolated heart of frog, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the inhibitory effect produced by EX. 2. Administration of EX manifested the transient hypotensive effect in the intact rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the hypotensive effect produced by EX. 3. Administration of the small dose of EX manifested no significant effect, but moderate dose or more the stimulating effect, and the large dose the asphyxia on the respiratory motility in the intact rabbit. 4. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised duodenum of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine did not affect the stimulating effect produced by EX. 5. Administration of EX manifested the sustained augmentation of contractility in the excised pregnant uterus of rabbit, and the pretreatment of atropine and oxytocin did not affect the oxytocic effect produced by EX, but that of barium chloride more or less stimulated the oxytocic effect produced by EX.