Abstract
High blood pressure (HBP) is currently one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Nowadays, populations make extensive use of alternative medicine for their health problems. Bidens pilosa (B. pilosa) and Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus) are used individually in the traditional treatment of cardiovascular disorders. This study assessed the effects of the mixture of these two plants aqueous extract on HBP in rats. Male rats (42) were divided into 7 groups of 6 rats each. Normotensive rats received only distilled water and formed group 1. The other animals received ethanol + salt preceded by distilled water (10 mL/kg; group 2) and spironolactone (10 mg/kg; group 3); the aqueous extracts of the mixture (100 and 200 mg/kg; groups 4 and 5) isolated plants B. pilosa (200 mg/kg; group 6) and C. citratus (200 mg/kg; group 7). Animals were treated for 7 weeks during which water consumption and urine volume were assessed; then, hemodynamic parameters were recorded, and rats were sacrificed. Serum and some organs (liver, kidney, heart, and aorta) were used to evaluate biochemical parameters. Ingestion of ethanol + salt leads to a significant increase in urinary volume and water intake that were significantly prevented by the extracts from the mixture and isolated plants. Ethanol + salt solution significantly increased the blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-chol), atherogenic indices, liver and kidney function parameters, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol), albumin, reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were significantly reduced. The extracts of the mixture and isolated plants significantly prevented all these variations with a more pronounced action for the lowest dose of the mixture on the lipid profile, oxidative stress, and kidney function. These observations confirm the beneficial effects of B. pilosa and C. citratus to manage hypertension.
Highlights
Arterial hypertension (AHT) is a very common condition today, but for a long time, it was considered a rare and even nonexistent condition in Africa
B. pilosa aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) significantly prevented the increase induced by the alcohol + salt solution in TG levels (p < 0.001) by 60.79% and in VLDL-chol (p < 0.001) by 60.76% as compared to hypertensive rats. e aqueous extract of C. citratus (200 mg/ kg) significantly prevented the increase induced by the alcohol + salt solution in TG (p < 0.001) by 53.81%, in LDLchol (p < 0.01) by 55.67%, and in VLDL-chol (p < 0.001) by 53.81% and the decrease in HDL-chol by 50.43% (p < 0.001) as compared with hypertensive rats
In rats treated simultaneously with alcohol + salt solution and C. citratus (200 mg/kg), there was a significant prevention of increase in ALT activity (p < 0.001), AST (p < 0.001) and total bilirubin level (p < 0.01) as compared with hypertensive rats. e aqueous extract of B. pilosa (200 mg/kg) significantly prevented the increase induced by alcohol + salt solution in ALT (p < 0.001) and AST (p < 0.001) activities and total bilirubin level (p < 0.05) as compared with hypertensive rats
Summary
Arterial hypertension (AHT) is a very common condition today, but for a long time, it was considered a rare and even nonexistent condition in Africa. Many epidemiological studies have established a causal relationship between high dietary sodium consumption and increased blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, which in the long term can lead to cardiovascular, liver, and kidney disorders [9]. Chronic consumption of both (alcohol and salt) could have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system, liver, and kidneys. Despite the extensive use of herbs in traditional medicine, failures in monotherapy have most often been encountered in the treatment of various diseases. E two plants are diuretic, vasorelaxant, and antihypertensive, and so far, no scientific study has been conducted on the effects of the mixture. Erefore, we propose to evaluate the preventive effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of these two plants on a rat model of hypertension, using alcohol and salt
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