Aqueous Leaf Extracts of Selected Vegetables Reduce Blood Pressure and Improve Cardiac Functions in Male Rats with Isoproterenol-Induced Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background: General belief of preventive and beneficial effect of vegetable consumption on cardiovascular diseases requires scientific investigation. Objective: To investigate the effect of five selected vegetables (Basella. alba, Crassocephalum crepidioides, Launaea taraxacifolia, Senecio biafrae and Solanum nigrum) on blood pressure and cardiac functions in isoproterenol-treated myocardial infarction male rats. Materials and Methods: Dried ground leaves (350 g of each vegetable) were extracted at room temperature (26oC) with 3 L of water via maceration. Rats (150-200 g) were randomly divided into 14 groups of 6 rats each. Groups 1 and 8 served as normal and isoproterenol controls respectively, Groups 2 to 6 received 200 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) of each extract, Groups 9 to 14 were pretreated with each extract (200 mg/kg b.wt.) and then isoproterenol (20 mg/kg b.wt.; subcutaneously) to induce myocardial infarction (days 29 and 30). Group 7 was administered mixture of all the extracts in ratio 1:1:1:1:1, while Group 14 received extracts mixture and isoproterenol. Vegetable extracts were administered for 28 days. Blood pressure (BP) was measured via arterial cannulation under urethane and alpha-chloralose anaesthasia. C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured in cardiac puncture-collected blood samples using commercially available kits. Results: Pretreatment of the rats with vegetable extracts significantly reduced (p<0.05) BP and the plasma levels of CRP, LDH, CK, AST in isoproterenol-treated rats. Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that selected vegetables extract reduced BP and improved cardiac functions in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction male rats. Keywords: Basella alba, Crassocephalum crepidioides, Launaea taraxacifolia, Senecio biafrae, Solanum nigrum, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, myocardial infarction.