Vasorelaxant, antispasmolytic and cardiotonic effect of the Chloroform Fraction of Crataegus aronia on isolated rat muscles Mudhir S. Shekha Department of Biology, Colleges of Science University of Salahaddin, Erbil-Iraq msurchi@yahoo.com Omar A.M Al-Habib Department of Biology, College of Education, University of Zaxo, Duhok- Iraq habbiboma@yahoo.com Abstract--Crataegus azarolous var. aronia (C. aronia) is one of the most important medicinal plants used widely in folk medicine for its cardiotonic, vasorelaxant and hypotensive effect. The present study was done to investigate the effect of the Chlorformic fraction (CF) of C. aronia on ileum, jejunum, trachea and aortic smooth muscle. CF induced a concentration-dependent relaxation in isolated ileum (10 μM ACh and 60 mM KCl precontracted), trachea (KCl precontracted), aorta (10 μM PE and 60 mM KCl precontracted), and jejunum (Spontaneous contraction). CF at higher doses significantly decreased HR, LVP, LVSP, LVDP and LVEDP. We investigated that CF of C. aronia are have Vasorelaxant, antispasmolytic and cardiotonic effects. Keywords: Crataegus aronia, Chloroform fraction, ileum, jejunum, aorta, heart I. Introduction Herbal remedies and alternative medicine are used throughout the world and in the past, they were presenting the original sources of most of the drugs (1). Crataegus (hawthorn) is one of the genera of the Pyrinae, family Rosaceae (2). Crataegus has been extensively used by heart failure type II patients, and it is expected to participate actively in the improvement of long term therapy of the disease (3 and 4). Furthermore, it has been indicated that Crataegus is rarely associated with serious adverse events (5). The pharmacological effects were believed to be mainly due to the Crataegus flavonoids, which possess a number of beneficial effects such as cardiotonic (6), antiarrhythmic (7), hypolipidemic (8), (9 and 10), antihypertensive (11) and antioxidative activities (12 and 13) Recent studies revealed the presence of several groups of biologically active ingredients in Crataegus such as flavonoids (Quercetin, rutin, hyperoside, vitexin…. etc.), glycosides, cratetegin, procyanidins, ursolic acid, oleonic acid, saponins and tannins (14, 15, 16, 17 and 18). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relaxant action CF of Crataegus extract on isolated rat thoracic aorta, ileum trachea and rabbit jejunum. Effects of CF of C. aronia on cardiac blood pressure parameters in rats using Langendorff heart preparation. Finally to establish scientific basis and justify of the C. aronia in folk medicine. II. Materials and Methods A. Plant The aerial parts comprising leaves, unripe fruits and twigs of Crataegus aronia used in this study was collected during July and August, 2007 from the Binari Safeen mountains in judiciary of Shaqlawa ( about 60 Km to the north of Erbil - Kurdistan region-Iraq). The shade dried samples at room temperature for 20-25 days, cut into small pieces and then ground. The produced powder was stored in clothe bags at 5 C o until its use for extraction. Voucher specimens were preserved at the Herbarium of the Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Salahaddin, The given herbarium code for the species is ( 007619 ). B. Preparation of Chloroform Fraction of C. aronia The air-dried plant material (7.5Kg) was grounded, crushed and soaked in 25 L 99.98% methanol repeatedly (5 times , 10 days each) with occasional shaking. The extract was filtered through muslin clothes and then through whatman filters paper. The combined filtrates was concentrated in a rotary evaporator at 40 o C under reduced. Thick dark brown gummy crude extract C. aronia was produced with a yield of 12 % (900 g) and stored at −4 °C for future use. The crude MF of C. aronia was subjected to fractionations for producing butnol fraction (BF) and CF. The crude extract was subjected to fractionation using standard phytochemical procedures with different organic solvents systems (19). The crude gummy The 4th International Scientific Conference of Salahaddin University-Erbil, October 18-20, 2011 528