Title:L-Tartaric Acid Exhibits Antihypertensive and Vasorelaxant Effects:
The Possible Role of eNOS/NO/cGMP Pathways
Volume: 21
Issue: 3
Author(s): Ayoub Amssayef, Ismail Bouadid and Mohamed Eddouks*
Affiliation:
- Team of Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques Errachidia, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, Errachidia, Morocco. BP 509, Boutalamine, Errachidia, Morocco
Keywords:
L-NAME, L-tartaric acid, nitric oxide, hypertension, vasodilation, cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the antihypertensive effect of L-Tartaric
acid.
Background: L-Tartaric acid (L-TA) is a well-known weak organic acid that naturally occurs in a
wide range of fruits, most notably in grapes, tamarind, and citrus.
Objective: The present study aimed to assess the effect of acute and subchronic administration of
L-TA on blood pressure parameters in normotensive and hypertensive rats as well as its vasorelaxant
potency.
Methods: In the current study, the antihypertensive activity of L-TA was pharmacologically studied.
L-NAME-induced hypertensive and normotensive rats received L-TA (80 and 240 mg/kg)
orally over six hours for the acute experiment and seven days for the subchronic treatment. Thereafter,
systolic, diastolic, mean, mid arterial blood pressure, and pulse pressure as well as heart rate
were evaluated. In the in vitro experiment, the vasorelaxant ability of L-TA was performed in ratisolated
thoracic aorta.
Results: An important drop in blood pressure was recorded in L-NAME-induced hypertensives
treated with L-TA. This molecule also produced a dose-dependent relaxation of the aorta precontracted
with norepinephrine (NEP) and KCl. The study demonstrated that the vasorelaxant capacity
of L-TA seems to be exerted through the activation of eNOS/NO/cGMP pathways.
