| Abstract: | The smooth muscle relaxing effect of the sesquiterpene T-cadinol, isolated from scented myrrh (resin of Commiphora guidottii Chiov., Burseraceae), was investigated. The compound inhibited the contractile responses in the isolated guinea-pig ileum to histamine, carbachol, Ba2+ and K+ in a concentration dependent and reversible manner. The antagonism of the receptor-mediated contractions induced by histamine and carbachol was not of a competitive type. The contractions induced by Ba2+- and K+ were somewhat more sensitive to the action of T-cadinol than the receptor mediated contractions. It is suggested that the compound may interfere with a step of the contraction sequence common to all four spasmogens. |
