[The effects of ilexonin A on AA metabolism]

Arachidonic acid (AA) and prostaglandin endoperoxide were used as substrates and pig lung microsomes provided enzymes to determine thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels in a study of the effects of ilexonin A and verapamil on the activities of cyclooxygenase, thromboxane A2 synthetase and prostacyclin synthetase in the AA metabolic pathway. The results indicated that both ilexonin A and verapamil inhibited the activities of all three enzymes. The inhibitory effect of verapamil on thromboxane A2 synthetase was stronger than that on prostacyclin synthetase. The activity of the latter was not inhibited by verapamil in concentrations lower than 100 mumol/L.