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

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) 2012-07, Vol.19 (10), p.947-951
• Main Authors: Schuler, V., Suter, K., Fürer, K., Eberli, D., Horst, M., Betschart, C., Brenneisen, R., Hamburger, M., Mennet, M., Schnelle, M., Simões-Wüst, A.P., von Mandach, U.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bryophyllum pinnatum; Carbachol - pharmacology; Care and treatment; Cholinergic Agonists - pharmacology; Crassulaceae; Detrusor muscle; Electric Stimulation; Health aspects; Kalanchoe; Mandelic Acids - pharmacology; Mandelic Acids - therapeutic use; Materia medica, Vegetable; Muscarinic Antagonists - pharmacology; Muscarinic Antagonists - therapeutic use; Muscle contraction; Muscle Contraction - drug effects; Muscle relaxation; Muscle, Smooth - drug effects; Muscle, Smooth - physiology; Overactive bladder; Oxybutynin; Parasympatholytics - pharmacology; Parasympatholytics - therapeutic use; Phytotherapy; Plant extracts; Plant Leaves; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Plant Preparations - therapeutic use; Swine; Urinary Bladder - drug effects; Urinary Bladder - physiology; Urinary Bladder, Overactive - drug therapy; Urinary incontinence
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2012.05.003

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. 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 (32Hz, 40V) was used for the inhibitory effect measurements, and carbachol (50μM) 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 (10−7–10−3M) as a reference substance. 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