Cardio-protective effects of aqeuous extract of Hunteria umbellata seed on cyclosporine- induced hyperpensive rats

Abstract

Hunteria umbellata seed is a medicinal plant seed that has been reported for treatment of several degenerative diseases, but with paucity of information on its uses in the treatment/management of hypertension. This study investigated the effects of aqueous extract of Hunteria umbellata seed (HUE) on some mechanisms [(Nitric oxide (NO), arginase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE)] linked with the pathology of hypertension in cyclosporine-induced rats. Forty male albino rats (150 – 180 g) were randomly divided into five groups of eight animals per group and were induced with 35 mg/kg cyclosporine (CYP) except the control group (group 1), group 2 was untreated, while group 3 was treated with standard drug, 10 mg/kg Lisinopril (LIN), group 4 and 5 were treated with 50 and 100 mg/kg aqueous extract of HUE respectively. Measurement of the rats systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure was carried out, the experiment lasted for seven (7) days, after which the rats were sacrificed, the heart tissues were excised and homogenized in cold phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and homogenate was kept at −4°C for further analysis. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiling of HUE was also carried out. The results showed an elevated level of SBP and DBP with significant (p > 0.05) increase in the Arginase level, AChE activity, and MDA content in the untreated group compared with the control group. However, treatment with LIN and HUE caused reduction in blood pressure level with a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the enzymes activity. There was a significant (p < 0.05) decreased in NO content of the untreated group when compared with the control group, however, comparing treated with the untreated group revealed an increase in the NO content. There was an observable significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the SOD and CAT activity of untreated group when compared to the control group, whereas, a significant (p > 0.05) increase in the LIN and HUE treated group occurred with decreased MDA content. The HPLC profile showed cafeic acid to be the most abundant phenolic compound in HUE. Therefore, this study revealed that HUE is effective on some of the enzymes linked with hypertension, hence it could be useful in the management of hypertension.