DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences144Effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of berberis vulgaris fruit on rabbit isolated heart208213Parsaee H.Shafei M. N.Boskabady M.H.20151006Several therapeutic effects including antimicrobial, antidiarrhea, hepatoprotection and cardiotonic for Berberis vulgaris have been described. In the present study, the effects of hydro-ethanolic extract of Berberis vulgaris on the rate and contractility of isolated heart were examined. The heart mounted on a modified Langendorff apparatus and circulation was perfused through aorta. Heart rate and contractility were determined in the presence of four concentrations of hydro-ethanolic extract (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 mg/100ml) and diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker (0.1, 1,10 and 100 µM) in comparison with baseline values in two different groups of experiments as follows: 1) Perfused heart with normal Krebs solution (group1 experiments, n=10). 2) Perfused heart with calcium free Krebs solution (group 2 experiments, n=9). In group 1 only 3 highest concentrations of diltiazem showed significant reduction in heart rate (phttps://daru.tums.ac.ir/index.php/daru/article/view/291https://daru.tums.ac.ir/index.php/daru/article/download/291/291