Investigation on the Cardio-Protective Potentials of Sphenostylis Stenocarpa Seed Milk on Salt Loading-Induced Hypertension in Albino Rats

Abstract

Cardio-protection is a sure way of averting the incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which have been one of the most stubborn global causes of death. An estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke. Over three quarters of CVDs deaths take place in low and middle-income countries. Out of the 17 million premature deaths (under the age of 70) due to non-communicable diseases in 2015, 82% are in low and middle-income countries, and 37% are caused by CVDs. The most preventive measure for cardiovascular disease is primary prevention of risk factors. Most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol using population-wide strategies. People with cardiovascular diseases or who are at high cardiovascular risk (due to the presence of one or more risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia or already established disease) need early detection and management using counselling and medicines, as appropriate. Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst. ex. A. Rich) Harms is an orphan legume crop which its oil when administered to hypertensive albino rats, significantly (p< 0.05) lowered the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), which is a strong marker for predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease. Hypertension was induced in rats using saturated NaCl solution. The rats were treated with the extracted oil at different concentrations. It was observed that Sphenostylis stenocarpa seed has low glycaemic index and that at varying concentrations and time significantly (p < 0.05) lowered the AIP.