# Cardiovascular effects of Matricaria chamomilla extract: calcium channel modulation and vasorelaxant activity

## TL;DR

This study shows that Matricaria chamomilla extract can relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure, likely by affecting calcium channels and containing beneficial plant compounds.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that M. chamomilla extract has antihypertensive effects through calcium channel modulation and bioactive polyphenols.

## Key findings

- The extract significantly reduced aortic contractility and inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions in vitro.
- In vivo, the extract lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressures in hypertensive rats.
- GC-MS and molecular docking identified key compounds like apigenin derivatives with strong affinities to vascular targets.

## Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the vasorelaxant potential of M. chamomilla extract and its modulatory effects on calcium ion channels.In vitro experiments assessed the extract’s impact on voltage-gated and GPCR-mediated calcium channels in aortic preparations. In vivo, the Tail Cuff method evaluated blood pressure-lowering effects in adrenaline-induced hypertensive rats. Phytochemical profiling was performed via GC-MS, and molecular docking assessed interactions of key compounds with vascular regulation targets (7VFS, 8THK, 3NOS). In vitro, 5 µg/ mL of the extract slightly increased aortic contractility (3.9 ± 3.4%), whereas 60 µg/ mL markedly reduced it (89.5 ± 3.1%). At 50 µg/ mL, it inhibited phenylephrine-induced GPCR-mediated contractions by 84.9 ± 3.8%. In vivo, 40 mg/kg of the extract lowered systolic and diastolic pressures to 150 mmHg and 110 mmHg, respectively. GC-MS identified pinocarveol, coumarin, apigenin derivatives, and dicaffeoylquinic acids. Molecular docking revealed strong affinities of apigenin-7-O-neohesperidoside and other compounds to key vascular targets. Both experimental approaches consistently demonstrated vasorelaxant activity, likely linked to polyphenol and flavonoid content. M. chamomilla extract exhibits significant vasorelaxant and antihypertensive effects, mediated through modulation of calcium channels and bioactive polyphenols. These findings support its potential as a therapeutic agent for hypertension and hypoxia-related cardiovascular disorders, warranting further clinical investigation.