| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2546506 | Journal of Ethnopharmacology | 2010 | 7 Pages |
Aim of the studyAllanblackia floribunda Oliv. (Clusiaceae), an evergreen tree of the rain-forest has long been used in traditional African medicine to treat hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of Allanblackia floribunda aqueous extract on alcohol- and sugar-induced hypertension in rats.Material and methodsAlcohol-induced hypertensive rats (AHR) were obtained by oral administration of ethanol (3 g/kg/day) while sucrose (5, 6 and 7% in drinking water) was used for sucrose-induced hypertensive rat (SuHR). Both models of animals concomitantly received either aqueous extract (200 or 400 mg/kg; p.o.) or nifedipine (10 mg/kg; p.o.) all along the 8 weeks of experiment. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured using the direct cannulation method. The effects of the plant extract on lipid profile, oxidative stress markers, as well as on kidney and liver functions were evaluated at the end of the treatment by the colorimetric method.ResultsAt the doses of Allanblackia floribunda (200 and 400 mg/kg/day) significantly prevented (21.74; 26.65% and 11.71; 24.58% of reduction) the increase in mean blood pressure on AHR and SuHR, respectively. Administration of the plant extract at the dose of 400 mg/kg led to the prevention of total cholesterol (42.82%), HDL-cholesterol (36.59%) and triglycerides (9.67%) increase in serum lipid in AHR as compared to the untreated AHR. In SuHR, the extract significantly prevented the high concentrations of total cholesterol (44.08%) and triglycerides (33.05%) induced by sucrose treatment as compared to the untreated SuHR, without affecting that of HDL-cholesterol. Allanblackia floribunda (200 and 400 mg/kg) also prevented the increase in atherogenic index by 54.45 and 42.94% in AHR and by 23.70 and 44.32% in SuHR, respectively. Allanblackia floribunda (400 mg/kg) prevented the increase in bilirubine (19.59 and 16.56%), urea (33.36 and 28.2%), ALT (29.55 and 33.09%) and AST (36.28 and 37.12%) of AHR and SuHR, respectively. Treatment with plant extract significantly prevented the increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase and the decrease of reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration in aorta, heart, kidney and liver of AHR and SuHR.ConclusionThese results demonstrate that the aqueous extract of Allanblackia floribunda can prevent alcohol- and sugar-induced hypertension and oxidative stress in rats. These findings could therefore justify its use in traditional medicine.
Graphical abstractAqueous extract of Allanblackia floribunda which is traditionally used in Cameroon to treat many ailment including hypertension, can prevent oxidative damages and hypertension induced by alcohol and sucrose. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideEffect of Allanblackia floribunda on mean arterial blood pressure in alcohol (A)- or sucrose (B)-induced hypertensive rats after 8 weeks of treatment.Each bar represents means arterial blood pressure ± S.E.M. of 5 rats; aP < 0.05, bP < 0.01, cP < 0.001, significantly different compared to normal rats. βP < 0.01, γP < 0.001, significantly different compared to alcohol or sugar hypertensive rats.
