Vasodilatory Effect of Complex Saponin Extracted from Platycodon grandiflorum and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Mixture Extract

Vasodilatory Effect of Complex Saponin Extracted from Platycodon grandiflorum and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Mixture Extract

Platycodon grandiflorum and Glycyrrhiza uralensis contain several bioactive compounds, such as saponin, oleanolic acid, and flavone. P. grandiflorum and G. uralensis have traditionally been used to treat disorders related to blood pressure, diabetes, and counteracting poison, and they have antinociceptive and antiinflammatory properties. However, the validity of complex saponin’s vasodilatory effect has not been scientifically investigated. Therefore, this study explores the vasodilatory effect of complex saponin extracted from P. grandiflorum and G. uralensis mixture extract on rabbit carotid arteries. To this end, arterial rings with intact or damaged endothelium were used in an organ bath experiment and contracted by endothelin. Complex saponins, the major active constituents of P. grandiflorum and G. uralensis mixture extract, exhibited a moderate vasodilatory effect on the rabbit’s basilar arteries. Therefore, treatment with complex saponin extracted from P. grandiflorum and G. uralensis mixture extract may selectively accelerate cerebral blood flow through basilar arterial dilation. Overall, the findings suggest that the extracted complex saponins can serve as vasodilator sources.