Affinin, Isolated from Heliopsis longipes, Induces an Antihypertensive Effect That Involves CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors and TRPA1 and TRPV1 Channel Activation.

In previous studies, we demonstrated that the ethanolic extract of roots and its main alkamide, affinin, elicit a vasorelaxant effect through a mechanism involving activation of the gasotransmitter pathways and stimulation of cannabinoid type 1 receptors and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels. However, it has not yet been demonstrated whether the EEH and affinin are capable of lowering high blood pressure. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the oral administration of the EEH and affinin on the systolic blood pressure of N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced hypertensive rats and to explore the participation of cannabinoid receptors and transient receptor potential channels in the mechanism of action of this alkamide.

Vasodilator activity of venom involves activation of the NO/cGMP pathway and inhibition of calcium influx to vascular smooth muscle cells.

Tarantula venoms may be a natural source of new vasodilator components useful in pharmacological research. Moreover, biological function data of the venoms are important to enhance the knowledge about the biodiversity and evolution of these species. The present study aims to describe the vasodilatory activity induced by the venom of on isolated rat aortic rings.

A subfraction obtained from the venom of the tarantula contains inhibitor cystine knot peptides and induces relaxation of rat aorta by inhibiting L-type voltage-gated calcium channels.

Venoms from tarantulas contain low molecular weight vasodilatory compounds whose biological action is conceived as part of the envenomation strategy due to its propagative effects. However, some properties of venom-induced vasodilation do not match those described by such compounds, suggesting that other toxins may cooperate with these ones to produce the observed biological effect. Owing to the distribution and function of voltage-gated ion channels in blood vessels, disulfide-rich peptides isolated from venoms of tarantulas could be conceived into potential vasodilatory compounds.

Transcriptomic differences between bleached and unbleached hydrozoan following the 2015-2016 ENSO in the Mexican Caribbean.

The 2015-2016 El Niño-southern oscillation or "ENSO" caused many colonies that live in the Mexican Caribbean to experience extensive bleaching. The purpose of this work was to analyze the effect of bleaching on the cellular response of , employing a transcriptomic approach with RNA-seq. As expected, bleached specimens contained a significantly lower chlorophyll content than unbleached hydrocorals.

New Insights into the Toxin Diversity and Antimicrobial Activity of the "Fire Coral" .

To date, few studies have been carried out aimed at characterizing the toxins synthesized by hydrocorals of the genus . The purpose of this study was to explore the toxin diversity and antibacterial activity of the "fire coral" using a transcriptomic data mining approach. In addition, the cytolytic and antibacterial activities of the nematocyst proteome were experimentally confirmed.

Development of a quantified herbal extract of hawthorn leaves with vasodilator effect.

Hawthorn (.) has been used for the treatment of several heart diseases and hypertension. The studies carried out on several hawthorn species have led to the development of standardized extracts useful in the cure of mild chronic cardiac diseases.

Endothelial TRP channels and cannabinoid receptors are involved in affinin-induced vasodilation.

Affinin is mainly recognized by its antinociceptive effect. Recently, our research group demonstrated that this compound produces vasodilation via activation of the gasotransmitters signaling pathways. However, the molecular targets of affinin were not identified.

Non-canonical chemical feedback self-limits nitric oxide-cyclic GMP signaling in health and disease.

Nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic GMP (cGMP) signaling is a vasoprotective pathway therapeutically targeted, for example, in pulmonary hypertension. Its dysregulation in disease is incompletely understood. Here we show in pulmonary artery endothelial cells that feedback inhibition by NO of the NO receptor, the cGMP forming soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), may contribute to this.

Comparative Analysis of the Soluble Proteome and the Cytolytic Activity of Unbleached and Bleached ("Fire Coral") from the Mexican Caribbean.

Coral bleaching caused by global warming has resulted in massive damage to coral reefs worldwide. Studies addressing the consequences of elevated temperature have focused on organisms of the class Anthozoa, and up to now, there is little information regarding the mechanisms by which reef forming Hydrozoans face thermal stress. In this study, we carried out a comparative analysis of the soluble proteome and the cytolytic activity of unbleached and bleached ("fire coral") that inhabited reef colonies exposed to the 2015-2016 El Niño-Southern Oscillation in the Mexican Caribbean.

Impact of El Niño-Southern Oscillation 2015-2016 on the soluble proteomic profile and cytolytic activity of Millepora alcicornis ("fire coral") from the Mexican Caribbean.

Reef-forming cnidarians are extremely susceptible to the "bleaching" phenomenon caused by global warming. The effect of elevated seawater temperature has been extensively studied on Anthozoans; however, to date the impact of thermal stress on the expression of genes and proteins in Hydrozoan species has not been investigated. The present study aimed to determine the differential proteomic profile of , which inhabits the Mexican Caribbean, in response to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation 2015-2016.

Rat aorta relaxation induced by the venom of Poecilotheria regalis involves the activation of the NO/cGMP pathway.

Spider venoms are widely recognized as a new emerging source of potential research tools, pesticides, drug leads, and therapeutic agents. Some studies suggest that these venoms may contain interesting vasodilator compounds with potential therapeutic applications. In the present study, the vasodilator activity of the venom of Poecilotheria regalis was evaluated in isolated rat aortic rings.

Vasorelaxing effect and possible chemical markers of the flowers of the Mexican .

The vasorelaxing effect of the methanol extract of the flowers of , a Mexican medicinal plant used to treat some cardiovascular diseases, was assessed, and its possible chemical markers identified. The extract produced a potent vasodilator effect on isolated rat aortic rings (EC = 1.83 ± 1.

Vasodilation Elicited by Isoxsuprine, Identified by High-Throughput Virtual Screening of Compound Libraries, Involves Activation of the NO/cGMP and H₂S/K Pathways and Blockade of α₁-Adrenoceptors and Calcium Channels.

Recently, our research group demonstrated that uvaol and ursolic acid increase NO and H₂S production in aortic tissue. Molecular docking studies showed that both compounds bind with high affinity to endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CSE). The aim of this study was to identify hits with high binding affinity for the triterpene binding-allosteric sites of eNOS and CSE and to evaluate their vasodilator effect.

Vasodilator Activity of Compounds Isolated from Plants Used in Mexican Traditional Medicine.

Arterial hypertension is one of the main risk factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, it is important to look for new drugs to treat hypertension. In this study, we carried out the screening of 19 compounds (triterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes, lignans, and flavonoids) isolated from 10 plants used in Mexican traditional medicine to determine whether they elicited vascular smooth muscle relaxation and, therefore, could represent novel anti-hypertension drug candidates.

antileishmanial activity of Mexican medicinal plants.

Aim Of The Study: To evaluate the anti-leishmanial activity and cytotoxicity of aqueous and organic extracts of ten plants used in Mexican traditional medicine as anti-parasitics.

Materials And Methods: For the organic extracts, plant material was macerated in dichloromethane (CHCl) and dichloromethane/methanol (CHCl/MeOH) (1:1) during two weeks; the aqueous extracts were prepared by infusion. The extracts were tested against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of .

Affinin (Spilanthol), Isolated from Heliopsis longipes, Induces Vasodilation via Activation of Gasotransmitters and Prostacyclin Signaling Pathways.

roots have been widely used in Mexican traditional medicine to relieve pain, mainly, toothaches. Previous studies have shown that affinin, the major alkamide of these roots, induces potent antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the effect of root extracts and affinin on the cardiovascular system have not been investigated so far.

Composition and biological activities of the aqueous extracts of three scleractinian corals from the Mexican Caribbean: , and .

Background: Scleractinian corals (stony corals) are the most abundant reef-forming cnidarians found in coral reefs throughout the world. Despite their abundance and ecological importance, information about the diversity of their toxins and their biological activities is very scarce. In this study, the chemical composition and the biological activities of the aqueous extracts of , and , three scleractinian corals from the Mexican Caribbean, have been assessed for the first time.

Role of Nitric Oxide and Hydrogen Sulfide in the Vasodilator Effect of Ursolic Acid and Uvaol from Black Cherry Prunus serotina Fruits.

The present research aimed to isolate the non-polar secondary metabolites that produce the vasodilator effects induced by the dichloromethane extract of Prunus serotina (P. serotina) fruits and to determine whether the NO/cGMP and the H2S/KATP channel pathways are involved in their mechanism of action. A bioactivity-directed fractionation of the dichloromethane extract of P.

Nutritional value and volatile compounds of black cherry (Prunus serotina) seeds.

Prunus serotina (black cherry), commonly known in Mexico as capulín, is used in Mexican traditional medicine for the treatment of cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal diseases. Particularly, P. serotina seeds, consumed in Mexico as snacks, are used for treating cough.

Systemic toxic effects induced by the aqueous extract of the fire coral Millepora complanata and partial purification of thermostable neurotoxins with lethal effects in mice.

Millepora complanata is a cnidarian widely distributed in the coral reefs of the Mexican Caribbean. This species is popularly known as "fire coral", since contact with it causes severe pain, skin eruptions and blisters. Intravenous administration of of M.

Aortic relaxant activity of Crataegus gracilior Phipps and identification of some of its chemical constituents.

This study focused on the assessment of the vasorelaxant activity of the organic and aqueous extracts obtained from leaves and fruits of a Mexican hawthorn (Crataegus gracilior) on isolated rat aorta, and on the purification and identification of some of their secondary metabolites by the use of chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. The results obtained showed that the methanol extract has a significantly more potent and effective vasorelaxant effect than the other tested extracts, with an EC50 = 8.69 ± 4.

Nutraceutical value of black cherry Prunus serotina Ehrh. fruits: antioxidant and antihypertensive properties.

In Mexico black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) fruits are consumed fresh, dried or prepared in jam. Considering the evidence that has linked intake of fruits and vegetables rich in polyphenols to cardiovascular risk reduction, the aim of this study was to characterize the phenolic profile of black cherry fruits and to determine their antioxidant, vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects.