Sesquiterpene lactones from Hedyosmum brasiliense induce in vitro relaxation of rat aorta and corpus cavernosum

Abstract Hedyosmum brasiliense Miq., Chloranthaceae, has been used in Southern Brazil as a sedative, anti-inflammatory, and aphrodisiac. In this study, endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rat aortic rings and strips of corpus cavernosum were used to investigate the relaxant effects of an hexane fraction of leaves of H. brasiliense and its sesquiterpene lactones 13-hydroxy-8,9-dehydroshizukanolide, podoandin, and elemanolide 15-acetoxy-isogermafurenolide. The incubation of hexane fraction of leaves of H. brasiliense resulted in significant relaxation of endothelium-intact aortic rings pr...