O geraniol reduz a contratilidade e bloqueia canais iônicos no coração de mamífero

Abstract

The geraniol (C10H18O) is an acyclic monoterpene alcohol, present in the essential oil of some medicinal plants, herbs and citrus fruits, especially species of the genus Cymbopogon. Were described biochemical and pharmacological properties such as anticonvulsant action, analgesic, antinflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activities. In this study we sought to characterize the effects produced by geraniol on contractility, electrical activity and its possible antiarrhythmic potential in mammalian heart. For this, we used guinea-pig (Cavia porcellus) and mice (Mus musculus) of C57Bl/6J strain. The contractile studies were performed in the left atria drawn 1GF and stimulated with pulses of suprathreshold current, maintained in Cuba for isolated organ submerged in modified Tyrode solution (8 mL) and aerated with carbogenic mixture (95% O2 and 5% CO2). The force of atrial contraction was recorded by an isometric transducer. Electrocardiographic recordings were performed on isolated heart under constant aortic perfusion flow (8 mL/min) in a Langendorff system. To study the effects of geraniol on current membrane, experiments were performed using the technique of patch-clamp in rat ventricular cardiomyocytes setup whole-cell. In the atrium, geraniol reduced the force of contraction (~ 98%, EC50 = 1510 ± 160 M) whereas nifedipine, used as positive control, showed a EC50 of 0.90 ± 0.66 M. Geraniol, at 3 mM, decreased the positive inotropism of both CaCl2 and BAY K8644. In ventricular cardiomyocytes, the ICa,L was reduced by 50.7% (n = 5, p < 0.0001) after perfusion with 300 M of geraniol. Furthermore, geraniol prolonged the action potential duration (APD) measured at 50% of repolarization (49.7%, n = 5, p < 0.05), without changing the resting potential. The increase in APD can be attributed to blockade of K+ channel transient outward (Ito) (59.7%, n = 4, p < 0.001), the K+ current non-inactivated (Iss) (39.2 %, n = 4, p < 0.05) and K+ current to inward rectifier (Ik1) (33.7%, n = 4, p < 0.0001). In isolated heart, geraniol increased PRi and QTi without affecting the QRS (n = 6) complex, and reduced both left ventricular pressure (83%) and heart rate (16.5%). Furthermore, geraniol delayed time for the start of ouabain-induced arrhythmias in 128%, preventing in 30% the increase of diastolic tension, however, without affect the positive inotropic effect induced by ouabain (n = 6). Geraniol exerts negative inotropic and chronotropic responses in the mammalian heart by decreasing the L-type Ca2+ current and prolongs the duration of ventricular action potential by reducing potassium currents voltage-dependent. Such effects may be responsible for the antiarrhythmic effect of geraniol front the arrhythmias induced by ouabain in vitro.