Bryophyllum pinnatum inhibits detrusor contractility in porcine bladder strips--a pharmacological study towards a new treatment option of overactive bladder.

Aims: A broad spectrum of synthetic agents is available for the treatment of overactive bladder. Anti-cholinergic drugs show a poor compliance due to side effects. There is an increasing use of plant extracts in medicine. We have therefore investigated the inhibitory effects of leaf press juice from Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken (Kalanchoe pinnata L.) on bladder strips and compared the effects to that of oxybutynin.

Methods: Strips of porcine detrusor were prepared in Krebs solution and contractility was measured in a myograph system chamber aired with O₂/CO₂ at 37 °C. To induce contractions, electrical field stimulation (32 Hz, 40 V) was used for the inhibitory effect measurements, and carbachol (50 μM) for the relaxant effect measurements. Recordings were obtained in the absence and presence of increasing concentrations of Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf press juice (BPJ, 0.1-10%), and oxybutynin (10⁻⁷-10⁻³ M) as a reference substance.

Results: In inhibition experiments, BPJ as well as oxybutynin inhibited electrically induced contractions of porcine detrusor. BPJ at concentrations of 5% inhibited the contraction compared to a time matched control significantly by 74.6±10.2% (p<0.001). BPJ as well as oxybutynin relaxed carbachol pre-contracted porcine detrusor strips. The maximum relaxant effect of BPJ compared to a time matched control was 18.7±3.7 (p<0.05) at a concentration of 10% BPJ.

Conclusions: Our investigations show that BPJ inhibits contractions induced by electrical field stimulation and relaxes carbachol-induced contractions. However, the effect was lower than that of the reference substance oxybutynin. It is important to continue in vitro experiments as well as clinical studies with BPJ that might offer a new treatment option for patients with OAB.