Title:Salvia aucheri Exhibits Antihypertensive Activity in Hypertensive Rats
Volume: 21
Issue: 3
Author(s): Amine Azzane, Ayoub Amssayef and Mohamed Eddouks*
Affiliation:
- Department of Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, Moulay Ismail
University of Meknes, BP 509, Boutalamine, Errachidia, 52000, Morocco
Keywords:
Salvia aucheri, hypertension, L-NAME, antihypertensive effect, vasorelaxant effect, hypertensive rats
Abstract:
Aims: The present work aimed to assess the antihypertensive activity of Salvia aucheri.
Background: Salvia aucheri (S. aucheri) is an aromatic and medicinal herb belonging to the
Lamiaceae family. In Morocco, this plant is locally used for used to treat stomach, digestive disorders,
rheumatism, and hypertension. Nevertheless, the effect of Salvia aucheri on hypertension has
not yet been studied.
Objective: The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the beneficial effect of the aqueous
extract of S. aucheri leaves on arterial blood pressure, systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean blood
pressure (MBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) in normotensive and hypertensive
rats. In addition, the effect of the aqueous extract of S. aucheri leaves on vasodilatation was
assessed in isolated rat aortic rings with functional endothelium precontracted with epinephrine EP
or KCl.
Methods: The aqueous extract of the aerial parts of S. aucheri (AESA) was obtained, and its antihypertensive
ability was pharmacologically investigated in L-NAME hypertensive and normotensive
rats. The rats received AESA orally at two selected doses of 100 and 140 mg/kg for six hours
(acute experiment) and seven days (sub-chronic). Thereafter, systolic, diastolic, mean arterial
blood pressure and heart rate were evaluated. Moreover, the vasorelaxant activity of AESA was
performed in thoracic aortic ring rats. In addition, the mechanisms of action involved in the vasorelaxant
effect were studied.
Results: The results indicated that AESA significantly reduced the systolic, diastolic, and mean
arterial blood pressure in hypertensive rats over both single and repeated oral administration.
However, AESA did not change the blood pressure parameters in normotensive rats. Concerning
the results of vasorelaxant activity, the results showed that AESA was able to provoke potent vasorelaxant
ability, which seems to be mediated through direct nitric oxide (NO) and NO-cyclic guanosine
monophosphate pathways.
Conclusion: The study elucidates the beneficial action of AESA as an antihypertensive and vasorelaxant
agent.
