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  • Title: (-)epicatechin induces and modulates endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated rat mesenteric artery rings.
    Author: Chen ZY, Yao XQ, Chan FL, Lau CW, Huang Y.
    Journal: Acta Pharmacol Sin; 2002 Dec; 23(12):1188-92. PubMed ID: 12466059.
    Abstract:
    AIM: The present study was aimed to examine the role of endothelial nitric oxide in the relaxant response to green tea (-)epicatechin and its modulation of endothelium-mediated relaxation in the isolated rat mesenteric artery rings. METHODS: Changes in the isometric tension were measured with Grass force-displacement transducers. RESULTS: The (-)epicatechin-induced relaxation was largely dependent on the presence of intact endothelium and was reversed by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester 10 micromol/L or methylene blue 10 micromol/L, the inhibitors of nitric oxide-mediated relaxation. L-Arginine at 1 mmol/L antagonized the effect of L-NAME or methylene blue. Pretreatment of endothelium-intact rings with (-)epicatechin 10 micromol/L enhanced the relaxation induced by endothelium-dependent vasodilator, acetylcholine, while this concentration did not influence the endothelium-independent relaxation induced by sodium nitroprusside in the endothelium-denuded artery rings. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the endothelium-dependent vasodilation by (-)epicatechin is mainly mediated through nitric oxide and low concentration of (-)epicatechin augments endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the rat mesenteric arteries.
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