Effects of Banana Feeding on Deoxycorticosterone-Induced Hypertension and Salt Consumption in Rats

Abstract

AbstractPulp of ripe banana, supplied daily (50 g/rat/day) together with standard food pellets, prevented an increase in blood pressure induced by the intramuscular injection of deoxycorticosterone enantate (DOC, 25 mg/rat) in rats given access to both water and 2% NaCl solution. The antihypertensive effect of banana was not related to reduced salt intake: on the contrary animals receiving banana during DOC-treatment consumed significantly larger amounts of salt relative to controls. The enhanced salt intake in banana-fed animals was not due to increased renal excretion of sodium. Ritan-serin, a 5-HTjc receptor antagonist, partially inhibited the effect of banana on DOC-induced salt intake, suggesting that the effect may be partially mediated by serotonergic mechanisms. This finding suggests that an increase in central serotonin levels triggered by the high triptophan and carbohydrate content of banana is responsible for the serotonin-mediated component of the natriorexic effect of banana. However, both t...