Effects of Whole Flower and Fractions of Ixora coccinea Linn. on Cardiovascular System: A Preliminary Report

Abstract

Ixora coccinea is used to treat various ailments in traditional medicine. The extract of whole flower and various fractions were studied in to Langendorff’s male guinea pig heart to explore the therapeutic/toxic potential Perfusion pressure (PP), left ventricular pressure (LVP), dP/dt, heart rate calculated from ECG (HR-ECG) and LVP (HR-LVP) were focused in acute and sustained phases. All the fractions showed concentration-dependant effects. The extract of whole flower (IXFM-WF) increased PP, decreased HR- ECG and HR-LVP , LVP showed initial decrease followed by increase in acute phase and decrease in sustained phase and dP/dt showed no significant change. The ethyl acetate fraction (IXF₃) increased the PP significantly, decreased LVP, HR-LVP and HRECG and dP/dt significantly. The methanol-benzene fraction (IXF-MMB) increased PP, decreased HR-LVP, HR-ECG whereas LVP was increased in acute phase and decreased in sustained phase, dP/dt(min) was increased in both phases. The methanolic fraction(IX-F₄M₂) increased PP significantly in acute phase, LVP was decreased in acute phase initially followed by sharp decrease in sustained phase, LVP was not affected prominently, HR-LVP showed decrease in both the phases, HR-ECG showed initial increase followed by sharp decrease, dP/dt(max) was increased in acute phase where as dP/dt(min) was decreased prominently. The aqueous fraction (IXFMAq) showed sharp increase in PP, decrease in LVP, HR-ECG and HR-LVP and no significant effect on dP/dt. The extract of whole flower and IXF₃, IXFMMB and IXFMAq are cardio-toxic and stopped the heart completely which took 30 seconds to 1.0 hour to recover partially. Whereas, IXF₄M₂did not block the heart at any administered dose.