Research Article

The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition

Volume: 73 Number: 1 January 1, 2026

The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition

Abstract

Verbascum speciosum is traditionally used against respiratory system diseases such as asthma and bronchitis. This study investigated the effects of extracts prepared from V. speciosum Schrad. on isolated rat trachea. Plants collected in July 2023 were used to prepare flower methanol extract (FME), leaf methanol extract (LME), flower water extract (FWE), and leaf water extract (LWE). Phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity were measured. Methanol extracts had a more concentrated phenolic content. The IC50 values for AChE inhibition were higher in the methanol extracts. The extracts were directly tested on isolated rat trachea. LME did not produce contractile or relaxant responses. However, FME, FWE, and LWE elicited contractile responses in a dose- and extract-dependent manner. All extracts relaxed rat trachea pre-contracted with KCl and carbachol (CCh) in a dose- and extract-dependent manner. For trachea pre-contracted with ACh, LWE and FWE induced contraction, while LME and FME caused relaxation. LME exhibited the strongest relaxant effect at 100 mg, relaxing KCl-induced contraction by 103.81±7.94%, CCh-induced contraction by 109.21±2.64%, and ACh-induced contraction by 111.45±5.95%. The findings suggest that V. speciosum may contain various pharmacologically active compounds useful for treating respiratory diseases. However, the contractile response of water extracts to ACh-induced contraction may indicate potential risks of consuming Verbascum-containing herbal teas.

Keywords

Project Number

2023/078

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Veterinary Pharmacology

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

October 7, 2025

Publication Date

January 1, 2026

Submission Date

March 28, 2025

Acceptance Date

September 21, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 73 Number: 1

APA
Teke, A., Yıldırım, E., & Yarsan, E. (2026). The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, 73(1), 13-21. https://doi.org/10.33988/auvfd.1667820
AMA
1.Teke A, Yıldırım E, Yarsan E. The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ankara Univ Vet Fak Derg. 2026;73(1):13-21. doi:10.33988/auvfd.1667820
Chicago
Teke, Adem, Ebru Yıldırım, and Ender Yarsan. 2026. “The Relaxant and Contractile Effects of Verbascum Speciosum Extracts on Rat Trachea: Phenolic and Organic Acid Contents and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition”. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi 73 (1): 13-21. https://doi.org/10.33988/auvfd.1667820.
EndNote
Teke A, Yıldırım E, Yarsan E (January 1, 2026) The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi 73 1 13–21.
IEEE
[1]A. Teke, E. Yıldırım, and E. Yarsan, “The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition”, Ankara Univ Vet Fak Derg, vol. 73, no. 1, pp. 13–21, Jan. 2026, doi: 10.33988/auvfd.1667820.
ISNAD
Teke, Adem - Yıldırım, Ebru - Yarsan, Ender. “The Relaxant and Contractile Effects of Verbascum Speciosum Extracts on Rat Trachea: Phenolic and Organic Acid Contents and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition”. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi 73/1 (January 1, 2026): 13-21. https://doi.org/10.33988/auvfd.1667820.
JAMA
1.Teke A, Yıldırım E, Yarsan E. The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ankara Univ Vet Fak Derg. 2026;73:13–21.
MLA
Teke, Adem, et al. “The Relaxant and Contractile Effects of Verbascum Speciosum Extracts on Rat Trachea: Phenolic and Organic Acid Contents and Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition”. Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 73, no. 1, Jan. 2026, pp. 13-21, doi:10.33988/auvfd.1667820.
Vancouver
1.Adem Teke, Ebru Yıldırım, Ender Yarsan. The relaxant and contractile effects of Verbascum speciosum extracts on rat trachea: phenolic and organic acid contents and acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Ankara Univ Vet Fak Derg. 2026 Jan. 1;73(1):13-21. doi:10.33988/auvfd.1667820