Antispasmodic Effect of Anethum graveolens Fruit Extract on Rat Ileum

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Dill Fruit Hydroalcoholic Extract (DFHE) on the rat ileum contractions induced by some known spasmogens and also to study the possible mechanism(s) involved. Dill fruit extract was prepared by macerated with alcohol (70). A piece of ileum (2 cm) was removed from male Wistar rats and mounted in an organ bath containing air bubbled Tyrode solution with 0.5 g initial tension and contractions were recorded by an isotonic transducer. The precontracted ileum by KCl,(60 mM), ACh (1 μM) and BaCl2 (4 mM) were relaxed by the cumulative concentrations (0.5-4 mg mL-1) of DFHE (p<0.0001). The relaxatory effect of the extract on the BaCl2-induced ileum contractions was greater than the other spasmogens. The spasmolytic effect of the extract (1 mg mL-1) was not reduced after tissue incubation (20-30 min) with phentolamine (1 μM), propranolol (1 μM), naloxone (1 μM) and L-NAME (100 μM). In high-potassium (120 mM) Ca2+-free Tyrode solution, cumulative concentrations of CaCl2 (0.225-3.6 mM) induced ileal contractions, however, the extract (0.5-2 mg mL-1) reduced these contractions dose-dependently (p<0.001). Present results suggest that the α- and β-adrenoceptors, opioid receptors and NO generation are not involved in the DFHE inhibitory effect. Furthermore, the results suggest that the relaxatory effect of DFHE on the ileum may be due to blockade of voltage dependent calcium chaannels. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.