Hancornia speciosa Gomes induces hypotensive effect through inhibition of ACE and increase on NO

The leaves of Hancornia speciosa Gomes are popularly used in Brazil to treat diabetes and hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide and their incidences are increasing in Brazilian population. The present study aimed to investigate the hypotensive effect and the mec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of ethnopharmacology 2011-09, Vol.137 (1), p.709-713
Main Authors: Silva, G.C., Braga, F.C., Lima, M.P., Pesquero, J.L., Lemos, V.S., Cortes, S.F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Oral
Angiotensin II
Angiotensin II - blood
Angiotensin-converting enzyme
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - administration & dosage
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - chemistry
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - isolation & purification
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology
Animals
Antihypertensive Agents - administration & dosage
Antihypertensive Agents - chemistry
Antihypertensive Agents - isolation & purification
Antihypertensive Agents - pharmacology
Apocynaceae - chemistry
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Pressure - drug effects
Captopril - pharmacology
Ethanol - chemistry
General pharmacology
Hancornia speciosa
Hypertension
Male
Medical sciences
Mice
Nitric oxide
Nitric Oxide - metabolism
Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors
Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism
Nitrites - blood
Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Plant Extracts - administration & dosage
Plant Extracts - chemistry
Plant Extracts - isolation & purification
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
Plant Leaves
Plants, Medicinal
Plethysmography
Solvents - chemistry
Time Factors
Up-Regulation
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Summary:The leaves of Hancornia speciosa Gomes are popularly used in Brazil to treat diabetes and hypertension. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide and their incidences are increasing in Brazilian population. The present study aimed to investigate the hypotensive effect and the mechanism of action of Hancornia speciosa Gomes. A fraction of the ethanolic extract of leaves from Hancornia speciosa (SFH) was obtained and standardized by its content on rutin, bornesitol and quinic acid. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) of normotensive mice was measured by tail pletismography. SFH was given orally and SBP was monitored for 5h. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor activity of SFH (1mg/kg) or captopril (10mg/kg) was measured by colorimetric methods. Serum nitrite levels were measured by spectrophotometry. SFH induced a dose-dependent hypotensive effect in normotensive mice. The serum activity of ACE and the level of angiotensin II were significantly reduced by SFH and by captopril. Administration of SFH induced a significant increase on plasmatic level of nitrites and the systemic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase by L-NAME (20mg/kg) reduced the hypotensive effect of SFH. The present work demonstrated that Hancornia speciosa has a potent hypotensive effect in normotensive mice. The inhibition of ACE leading to reduction on angiotensin II and increase on NO levels might account for the hypotensive effect. These results support the use of Hancornia speciosa by traditional medicine as antihypertensive.
ISSN:0378-8741
1872-7573
DOI:10.1016/j.jep.2011.06.031