PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE EXTRACTS OF 2 SATUREJA-OBOVATA VARIETIES ON ISOLATED SMOOTH-MUSCLE PREPARATIONS

Aqueous extracts of two varieties of Satureja obovata Lag. subsp. obovata: var. valentina and var. obovata, exhibited a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the contractions induced by acetylcholine (Ach) (3.4 X 10(-8)-6.8 X 10(-5) M) and CaCl2 (2 x 10(-4)-1.28 X 10(-2) M) in rat duodenum and by noradrenaline (NA) (10(-9)-5.12 X 10(-7) M) and CaCl2 (2 X 10(-4)-1.28 x 10(-2) M) in rat aorta. The extracts also produced relaxant effects in both tissue preparations precontracted with K+ (75 mM) and in rat aorta precontracted with NA (10(-6) M). Vasodilatory effects of the two extracts were attenuated when the endothelium was removed. The inhibitory effects of var. valentina were stronger. These results indicated a smooth muscle relaxant effect that could account for the use of these extracts in traditional medicine.