Abstract
PURPOSE: This investigation was conducted to elucidate the effects of eugenol on bladder contractility through experimental and in silico approaches. METHODS: To assess the impact of eugenol on muscular contractility, longitudinal strips of bladder tissue, measuring 2 mm by 6 mm, were mounted in perfusion chambers connected to an isometric force transducer. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were conducted to explore the potential of eugenol to target the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (M3R) and voltage-operated calcium channels (VOCCs) in muscle cells, utilizing in silico techniques. RESULTS: Eugenol exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on both the phasic and tonic components of the contraction induced by 60mM K+ and carbachol, completely suppressing this contraction at a concentration of 3mM. Additionally, eugenol inhibited the concentration-contraction curve elicited by Ba2+. CONCLUSION: The in vitro and in silico results suggest that the mechanism of eugenol likely involves blockade of VOCCs and/or M3R, implicating eugenol as a promising molecule for the treatment of overactive bladder.