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3234128 
Journal Article 
Effect of Cymbopogon citratus and Citral on Vascular Smooth Muscle of the Isolated Thoracic Rat Aorta 
Devi, RC; Sim, SM; Ismail, R 
2012 
Yes 
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
ISSN: 1741-427X
EISSN: 1741-4288 
WOS:000304989100001 
Cymbopogon citratus has been shown to have antioxidant,
antimicrobial, antispasmodic and chemo-protective properties. Citral, is the major constituent of
C. citratus. This study investigated the effects of methanolic extracts of leaves (LE), stems
(SE), and roots (RE) of C. citratus and citral on vascular smooth muscle and explored their
possible mechanisms of action. The experiment was conducted using isolated tissue preparations,
where citral, LE, SE, and RE were added separately into a tissue bath that contained aortic
rings, which were pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE). Citral, LE, and RE exhibited a dose-
dependent relaxant effect on the PE-induced contractions. Citral appeared to partially act via NO
as its vasorelaxant effect was attenuated by L-NAME. However, the effect of LE may involve
prostacyclin as indomethacin reversed the relaxant effect of LE on the PE-induced contraction.
Furthermore, citral, LE, and RE abolished the restoration of PE-induced contraction caused by the
addition of increasing doses of calcium in both endothelium intact and denuded rings. These
findings suggest that the relaxation effect of citral, LE, and RE is endothelium-independent and
may be mainly by affecting the intracellular concentration of calcium. Citral may partially act
through the NO pathway while a vasodilator prostaglandin may mediate the effect of LE.