An investigation into the vasodilator effects of chloroform, n-butanol and reverse osmosis water extraction of the extracts of ginger {Zingiber officinale Rose.) on porcine coronary arteries. The right coronary arteries were harvested from a local slaughterhouse , carefully dissected out, and cut into 5-mm rings. All rings were subjected stepwise to a predetermined optimal tension of 3 g and allowed to equilibrate for 30 minutes. Alter equilibration, each ring was induced contraction by potassium chloride. The vasodilator curves were obtained with 5 cumulative additions of extracts (1,3, 10, 30 and 100 ppm). Isometric tension was measured using Cyber 380 and Digidata 1320A instruments and readings were recorded in a computer system. Our result revealed that the extracts of n-butanol and reverse osmosis water extraction had hardly vasodilator effect. The relaxant extents of various doses chloroform extract (1, 3, 10, 30 and 100 ppm) were 6�5 - 19�10 - 40�9 - 70�9 - 100� 0%. The result demonstrates that chloroform extract of ginger possesses vasodilator activity in a dose dependant manner. The possibly physiological relaxation mechanisms involved, vascular protection, scavenging free radicals, anti-oxidative effect, anti-inflammatory activity and related physiological mechanisms will also be surveyed.
