The relaxant effect of curcumin on porcine coronary arterial ring segments.

Curcumin is a naturally occurring phenolic compound isolated as a yellow pigment from turmeric (curcuma longa). This compound has received much attention due to its diversity of biological and pharmacological activities. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of curcumin on porcine coronary arteries and to investigate the mechanism of its action, if any. The isometric tension of coronary arterial rings taken from porcine hearts was measured and its response to curcumin (10(-11)-10(-5) mol/l) was studied. It was found that curcumin significantly reduced the isomeric tension of both quiescent and prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) precontracted porcine coronary arterial rings. The relaxing effect of curcumin on coronary arteries was significantly reduced by removal of endothelium, and by the addition of N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), methylene blue or propranolol, but not by indomethacin. These results suggest that curcumin-induced relaxation of isolated porcine coronary arteries might involve the action of nitric oxide (NO), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and adrenergic beta-receptor, but not involve the synthesis of prostaglandin.