The present study was designed to investigate the blocking of calcium by the hydroalcoholic extract of
Tapinanthus dodoneifolius
(Tapidod), "in vitro" on rat trachea. To evaluate this effect, the contractile activity of tracheal chains from Wistar Kyoto rats was isometrically recorded. On the isolated tracheal rings the extract produced the following effects: (a) a reduction of the contraction obtained by BaCl
2, (b) a bronchorelaxing action, on strips precontracted by KCl, which was not influenced by TEA (3x10
-3 M), (c) a concentration-dependent decrease of the spasm evoked by calcium chloride (CaCl
2) in K
+-rich Ca
2+-free physiological salt solution, before and after intracellular calcium depletion (d), an inhibitory effect on contraction induced by acetylcholine in Ca
2+-free Krebs-Heinseleit solution supplemented with EDTA (5x10
-4M). It is concluded that: 1. The activation of the potassium channels does not play a significant role in the relaxant effect of Tapidod. 2. The antispasmodic property of Tapidod seems to be mediated by the blockade of intracellular Ca
2+ release. 3. Most likely an inhibition of the intracellular Ca
2+-regulating proteins is involved.