Pharmacological effects of purple basil extract on ısolated mouse bladder functions and underlying molecular mechanisms

Introduction: In this study, the pharmacological effects of purple basil (Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens) extract (PBE) in isolated mouse bladder strips were investigated. The effects of PBE on contractile responses induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS) in bladder strips and the molecular mechanisms involved in these effects were investigated. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of PBE in isolated tissues were investigated. Materials and Methods: PBE was prepared. Mice were sacrificed under ketamine-xylazine anesthesia, bladder tissues were isolated. The isolated bladder tissues were cut into strips and suspended in an organ bath. The bladder strips were then incubated with the relevant agents, the contractile responses were examined by applying EFS. Then, COX and SOD enzyme levels in bladder strips incubated with the relevant agents were determined by ELISA method. Results: EFS-induced contractions were statistically significantly inhibited by PBE. Atropine, Nω-nitro-L-arginine,Tetraethylammonium similarly caused a significant increase in EFS-induced contraction responses compared to control. PBE reversed these effects of the respective agents in a statistically significant manner. In contrast, verapamilsignificantly decreased the contractile responses of the respective tissues compared to the control, whereas PBE potentiated this inhibitory effect of verapamil. PBE significantly increased COX and SOD enzyme levels compared to the control group. Conclusion: The experimental findings suggest that PBE has an inhibitory effect on contractile responses and that cholinergic and nitrergic pathways, potassium channel activation and calcium channel inhibition play a role in this inhibitory effect. It also suggests that PBE has antioxidant but not anti-inflammatory effects at the administered concentrations.