In vitro and in silico studies for barbinervic acid, a triterpene isolated from Eugenia punicifolia that inhibits vasopressor tone

Abstract

We investigated the role of triterpene barbinervic acid from Eugenia punicifolia dichloromethane extract in vasopressor responses. Renal arteries were cannulated and perfused with Krebs-Hepes solution. Changes in aorta isometric tension were recorded and transferred to a data acquisition system. Cumulative curves were constructed based on the maximum effect of agonists. Barbinervic acid reduced the renal tonus induced by NA in a NO-dependent manner (IC₅₀ = 30 μM). Triterpene (70 μM) also induced rapid and transient relaxation in aorta that had been precontracted with K+ (53.2 ± 0.05%) or phenylephrine (36.7 ± 0.05%). In silico data revealed two possible active sites for interactions between barbinervic acid and NO synthase. Barbinervic acid showed a vasodilator effect and could potentially be used as a template for developing new molecules for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Eugenia punicifolia
• barbinervic acid
• renal circulation
• rat aorta

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico;Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior;Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro;Fundación Carolina, España.