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Objectives Ovariectomy induces heightened response to vasoconstrictors, alters vasorelaxation and consequently causes hypertension due to increased oxidative stress in rats. Methods This study evaluated the ameliorative effects of ramipril and vitamin E, on primary haemodynamic parameters and cardiac antioxidant defence status, in ovariectomised rats using 64 adult female rats of the Wistar strain randomly divided as follows: Control (sham); Ovariectomised (OVX); OVX plus Ramipril; OVX plus vitamin E; and OVX plus Ramipril plus vitamin E. Results The plasma level of oestrogen was significantly lower (p2O2) generated decreased significantly (p Conclusions The supplementation of antihypertensive regimen with antioxidants such as vitamin E in the treatment of hypertension is therefore justifiable especially in ovariectomised or hypogonadal patients.

Objectives This study aimed to explore the protective mechanism of caffeic acid (CAA) and chlorogenic acid (CHA) on cyclosporine (CSA) induced hypertensive rats. Methods Effect of CAA and CHA on diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), e-nucleotide triphosphate dephosphorylase (e-NTPDase), 5′ nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in CSA-induced hypertensive rats were determined. Results CAA and CHA administration stabilized hypertensive effect caused by CSA administration. Also, altered activity of ACE (lung), e-NTPDase, 5′ nucleotidase, ADA as well as elevated malondiadehyde (MDA) level was restored in all the treated hypertensive rats in comparison with the untreated hypertensive rats. Conclusion Hence, these observed results could underlie some of the mechanisms through which CAA and CHA could offer antihypertensive effect.

Objectives Hypertension is the number one risk factor and primary contributor of cardiovascular diseases. Caesalpinia benthamiana is a valuable medicinal plant with unvalidated anti-hypertensive activity. This study was carried out to explore the antihypertensive effect of C. benthamiana on uninephrectomized hypertensive rats. Methods Fifty rats were grouped into five groups, each containing 10 animals: Group A-normal control (normotensive); B-uninephrectomized control; C-uninephrectomized treated with 50 mg/kg C. benthamiana extract; D-uninephrectomized treated with 100 mg/kg C. benthamiana; and E- uninephrectomized treated with 10 mg/kg of Lisinopril. Results Significant increases were observed in systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure of uninephrectomized control rats. Furthermore, markers of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, protein carbonyl, myeloperoxidase and the advanced oxidative protein products) increased significantly while antioxidant status (reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase and superoxide dismutase), reduced significantly in uninephrectomized hypertensive rats. Histopathology revealed thrombosis and occlusion of coronary vessels in the heart, and congestion in the kidney. However, the observed high blood pressure parameters were remarkably normalized together with reduction in markers of oxidative stress and improvement in antioxidant defence system of uninephrectomized hypertensive rats treated with C. benthamiana extract similar to normotensive rats. Conclusions C. benthamiana extract exhibited antihypertensive action, strong antioxidant ability, attenuated oxidative stress-mediated hypertension and lessened the development of cardiac and renal damage associated with hypertension induced by uninephrectomy and high dietary intake of salt. Together, C. benthamiana extract might be useful in the management of hypertension due to volume overload in the cardiovascular system.

Background:The use of doxorubicin (DOX) as an antineoplastic agent has been greatly limited because of the myriad of toxic sequelae associated with it. The aim of this study was to assess the protective effects of gallic acid (GA) on DOX-induced cardiac toxicity in rats.Methods:Sixty male rats (Wistar strain) were used in this study. They were divided into six groups (A–F) each containing 10 animals. Group A was the control. Rats in Groups B, C, and D were treated with DOX at the dosage of 15 mg/kg body weight i.p. Prior to this treatment, rats in Groups C and D had been treated orally with GA for 7 days at the dosage of 60 and 120 mg/kg, respectively. Animals from Groups E and F received only 60 and 120 mg/kg GA, respectively, which were administered orally for 7 days.Results:The exposure of rats to DOX led to a significant (pConclusions:The GA pretreatment significantly alleviated GA-associated ECG abnormalities, restored the antioxidant status and prevented cardiac damage.

Background Recently, the incidences of hypertension and environmental pollution have increased significantly. This study investigates the antihypertensive effect of Annona muricata extract against K2Cr2O7-induced hypertension. Methods Fifty rats were used for this study, which were divided into five groups of 10 rats each. Rats in Group A received normal saline, and those in Groups B, C, D, and E were treated with A. muricata extract alone at 250 mg/kg, K2Cr2O7 at 30 mg/kg, pretreated with the extract at 250 mg/kg, and pretreated with gallic acid at 60 mg/kg for 14 days, respectively, and thereafter administered with a single intraperitoneal injection of K2Cr2O7 at 30 mg/kg. Results Administration of K2Cr2O7 significantly increased systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure and caused prolonged QT and QTc intervals. Further, pretreatment with the extract at 250 mg/kg and gallic acid at 60 mg/kg significantly reduced high blood pressure to near-normal values. K2Cr2O7 intoxication led to significant increases in serum advanced oxidative protein products, myeloperoxidase, and xanthine oxidase, while serum nitric oxide (NO) also reduced significantly. Immunohistochemistry of the renal kidney injury molecule (Kim-1) and p38 MAPK showed increased expressions following the administration of K2Cr2O7 together with the downregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Pretreatment with the extract at 250 mg/kg and gallic acid at 60 mg/kg also increased the expressions of Nrf2 and downregulated Kim-1 and p38. Conclusion Together, we found that pretreatment with the extract at 250 mg/kg and gallic acid at 60 mg/kg normalized the blood pressure, reduced the markers of oxidative stress, and improved the antioxidant defense system and serum NO bioavailability.

BackgroundCisplatin (CP) is a novel drug of choice in the treatment of cancer but its major limitation is nephrotoxicity, which is dose limiting.Andrographis paniculata(AP) is a common Indian dietary component. It is well known for its medicinal properties. This present study investigated the nephroprotective effect of ethanol leaf extract ofAndrographis paniculata(EEAP) on CP-induced nephrotoxicity.MethodsCP was used to induce nephrotoxicity in male Wistar rats to study the effect of EEAP on renal damages using hematological parameters, biochemical parameters, histology, and immunohistochemistry studies.ResultsThe effects of EEAP were determined by CP-induced changes in different kidney tissue on antioxidant enzymes, markers of oxidative stress, serum creatinine, and urine parameters. Administration of EEAP (200 mL/kg and 400 mg/kg orally), prior to and following a single dose CP treatment (10 mg/kg i.p), significantly mitigated the CP-induced decrease in antioxidant enzymes, and increase in markers of oxidative stress, serum creatinine, and urinary protein. On histopathological examination of the kidney tissue, there was severe glomerular degeneration and infiltration of inflammatory cells in CP only treated rats, mild glomerular degeneration, and infiltration of inflammatory cells in EEAP pre-treated rats. Furthermore, EEAP activated Nrf2 and mitigated Kim-1 pathways in CP-induced nephrotoxicity.ConclusionsThe results showed the protective effect of EEAP against CP-induced nephrotoxicity.

Background Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) is a highly valued plant, distributed in many countries of the tropics and subtropics. It has an impressive range of medicinal uses with high nutritional value. Methods The commercially processed M. oleifera was extracted using methanol as its solvent. Phytochemical analysis as well as the anti-oxidant properties of this supplement were also investigated. Acute toxicity was carried out in fasted mice. Carrageenan and histamine tests were used to assess anti-inflammatory effects in rats, while analgesic activities were assessed using the acetic acid-induced writhing test and formalin-induced paw lick test in mice. In the anti-oxidant tests, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, ferrous reducing activity power, 2,21-azinobis-(3-ethylbenthialozine)-6-sulphonic acid and total polyphenolic (TPP) assays were deployed at concentrations of 10 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL. Results The phytochemical analysis showed that the extract contained flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, tannins and saponins. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, the extract significantly reduced the number of writhes at 100 and 200 mg/kg but not so much at 50 mg/kg. In the formalin-induced paw lick test, the effect was similar to that of the acetic writhing test. The analgesic effects were comparable to that of indomethacin used at 10 mg/kg. In the anti-inflammatory test, the extract reduced the formation of oedema especially at a dose of 200 mg/kg. In the anti-oxidant test, the extract was found to possess a free radical-scavenging property and is concentration related. Conclusions The use of this extract for medicinal and nutritional purposes may have thus been justified; however, caution must be exercised in its use to prevent the toxic effect.

BACKGROUND This work was designed to investigate the modulatory effects of cod liver oil on the acute exposure to carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) in experimental animal models. METHODS Markers of oxidative stress, enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants were assessed in the liver and kidney. RESULTS The results showed significant (p

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate toxicological effects associated with prolonged consumption of Moringa oleifera leaves as a beverage. METHODS: Thirty rats were used in this study. They were grouped into five groups of six rats. Rats in group I received 2 mL/kg body weight (b.w.) of corn oil (vehicle). Animals in groups II, III, IV and V received 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w. of methanolic extract of M. oleifera (MEMO) for 8 weeks. Serum collected was analyzed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein, albumin, globulin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine. RESULTS: There was a significant (p

BACKGROUND Ethanolic leaf extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius was evaluated for analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. METHODS The analgesic activity of the extract was assayed by the formalin-induced paw licking test, acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing and hot plate test, whereas its anti-inflammatory activity was determined by its effects on carrageenan-induced paw edema. RESULTS The extract of C. aconitifolius prolonged the reaction time of mice to pain in a dose-dependent manner. The optimal analgesic effect of the extract was obtained when the extract was administered 90 min before pain stimulation in the hot plate test. The extract of C. aconitifolius (100 or 200 mg/kg b.w.) inhibited acetic acid-induced irritation of paws of rats comparably with that of indomethacin (10 mg/kg b.w.) and had significantly lower mean number of lickings of paws than the control rats (p

BACKGROUND This study was designed to investigate the hepatoprotective and in vivo antioxidant effects of the ethanol extract of whole fruit of Lagenaria breviflora (LB) in experimental animals. METHODS Forty nine Wistar albino rats were divided into seven groups of seven. Group I served as the control group; rats in Group II were given i.p. carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) (1.5 mL/kg) alone; Groups III-VI received different concentrations of plant extract (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) with CCL4 and Group VII received kolaviron (KV) at 200 mg/kg as a reference hepatoprotective agent. RESULTS There was a significant (p