Characterization of the vasodilator effect of eugenol in isolated human umbilical cord arteries

Debora de Menezes Dantas; Andressa de Alencar Silva; Luís Pereira-de-Morais; Carla Mikevely de Sena Bastos; Gabriela Lucena Calixto; Marta Regina Kerntopf; Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes; Daniel Weinreich; Roseli Barbosa

doi:10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109890

Characterization of the vasodilator effect of eugenol in isolated human umbilical cord arteries

Chem Biol Interact. 2022 May 25:359:109890. doi: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109890. Epub 2022 Mar 19.

Authors

Debora de Menezes Dantas¹, Andressa de Alencar Silva², Luís Pereira-de-Morais³, Carla Mikevely de Sena Bastos¹, Gabriela Lucena Calixto², Marta Regina Kerntopf⁴, Irwin Rose Alencar de Menezes⁴, Daniel Weinreich⁵, Roseli Barbosa¹

Affiliations

¹ Biological Chemistry Department, Postgraduate Program in Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri, Pimenta Campus, 63105-010, Crato, CE, Brazil; Biological Sciences Department, Physiopharmacology of Excitable Cells Laboratory, Regional University of Cariri, Campus of Pimenta, 63105-010, Crato, CE, Brazil.
² Biological Sciences Department, Physiopharmacology of Excitable Cells Laboratory, Regional University of Cariri, Campus of Pimenta, 63105-010, Crato, CE, Brazil.
³ Biological Sciences Department, Physiopharmacology of Excitable Cells Laboratory, Regional University of Cariri, Campus of Pimenta, 63105-010, Crato, CE, Brazil. Electronic address: luispereira256@gmail.com.
⁴ Biological Chemistry Department, Postgraduate Program in Biological Chemistry, Regional University of Cariri, Pimenta Campus, 63105-010, Crato, CE, Brazil.
⁵ University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.

PMID: 35318036
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109890

Abstract

Eugenol (EUG) is a phenylpropanoid widely used in the food and cosmetic industries. It is commonly referred to in the literature by its biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and relaxing in organs of laboratory animals, especially in rodent vessels. However, its vasorelaxant potential in human tissue, has not been investigated. Thus, this study characterizes the vasodilatory effect of EUG in the human umbilical artery (HUA). HUAs were isolated, cleaned, sectioned (3-4 mm) and placed in an organ bath (10 mL Krebs Henseleit, 37 °C; and carbogenic mixture). EUG (100-1400 μM), obtained total relaxation of electromechanical contractions induced by KCl (60 mM), and pharmacomechanical contractions (30-1200 μM), induced by serotonin (10 μM) and by histamine (10 μM), showing statistically significant concentrations: 600 μM, 400 μM and 200 μM, and EC₅₀ values: 759.8 ± 6.5 μM, 229.9 ± 7.9 and 279.0 ± 3.4 μM, respectively. EUG (1200 and 1400 μM) prevented the contraction promoted by BaCl₂ (0.1-30 mM), similar to the effects of nifedipine (10 μM), sugesting the involvement of EUG in blocking VOCCs. In the presence of tetraethylammonium (10 μM), EUG (30-1200 μM) did not produce a total relaxation (88.6%), suggesting that an alternative pathway where potassium channels, may partially mediate EUG effect. In the presence of 4-aminopyridine (1 mM), glibenclamide (10 μM), and tetraethylammonium (1 mM), EUG relaxed HUAs 100%, although the pharmacological potency was statistically altered, demonstrating the participation of K⁺ channels (Kv, KATP, BKCa). Our data indicates that EUG has a vasorelaxant effect on HUAs, had a greater pharmacological potency in the serotoninergic pathway, showing effective participation of VOCCs and a partial modulation of K⁺ channels. These data suggest new possibilities for the use of EUG in human vascular dysfunctions, such as preeclampsia. More studies are necessary to confirm the safety and effectivity in future treatments.

Keywords: Eugenol; Human umbilical artery; Vasorelaxant.

MeSH terms

Animals
Arteries
Eugenol* / pharmacology
Humans
Tetraethylammonium / pharmacology
Umbilical Cord
Vasodilation
Vasodilator Agents* / pharmacology

Substances

Vasodilator Agents
Eugenol
Tetraethylammonium