Title:Effect of Calamintha officinalis on Vascular Contractility and Angiotensinconverting
Enzyme-2
Volume: 20
Issue: 3
Author(s): Amine Azzane, Bouchra Azzaoui, Mourad Akdad, Ismail Bouadid and Mohamed Eddouks*
Affiliation:
- Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, Boutalamine, Errachidia, 52000,
Morocco
Keywords:
Calamintha officinalis, hypertension, L-NAME, antihypertensive effect, cardiovascular diseases, ACE-2.
Abstract:
Aims: The study aimed to assess the antihypertensive activity of Calamintha officinalis.
Background: Calamintha officinalis (CO) is a medicinal and aromatic herb as well as an antihypertensive
plant that is widely used for its medicinal properties in several regions.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the aqueous extract of Calamintha officinalis
(AECO) on vasorelaxant activity and arterial blood pressure under normal and hypertensive states
in rats. Additionally, the effect of AECO on vascular angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2)
was assessed.
Methods: In the current study, AECO (100 mg/Kg) was prepared, and its antihypertensive ability
was assessed in L-NG-Nitro arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Blood
pressure and heart rate were recorded for 6 h for the acute experiment and during seven days for
the subchronic treatment.
Results: The results indicated that AECO reduced the systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood
pressure in hypertensive rats. In addition, the study showed that AECO exerts a vasorelaxant ability
through the sGC-cGMP induction pathway, vascular cyclooxygenase pathway, and the opening
of K+ channels. However, AECO had no inhibitory effect on aortic ACE-2.
Conclusion: The study illustrates the beneficial action of AECO as an antihypertensive and vasorelaxant
agent.