Antihypertensive effect of an aqueous extract of the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa

• Published in: Fitoterapia Vol. 78; no. 4; pp. 292 - 297
• Main Authors: Mojiminiyi, F.B.O., Dikko, M., Muhammad, B.Y., Ojobor, P.D., Ajagbonna, O.P., Okolo, R.U., Igbokwe, U.V., Mojiminiyi, U.E., Fagbemi, M.A., Bello, S.O., Anga, T.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Antihypertensive Agents - administration & dosage; Antihypertensive Agents - pharmacology; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; Antihypertensive effect; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Flowers; General pharmacology; Heart Rate - drug effects; Hibiscus; Hibiscus sabdariffa; Hypertension; Hypertension - chemically induced; Hypertension - drug therapy; Injections, Intravenous; Medical sciences; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sodium Chloride; Hibiscus sabdariffa; Hypertension; Antihypertensive effect; Malvaceae; Pharmacognosy; Cardiovascular disease; Extract; Medicinal plant; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Antihypertensive agent; Spermatophyta
• ISSN: 0367-326X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2007.02.011

The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of an aqueous calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) in two forms of experimental hypertension: salt-induced and l-NAME ( N ω- l-arginine methyl ester)-induced and in normotensive controls. The blood pressure and heart rate fell dose-dependently in both the hypertensive and normotensive rats after intravenous injection of 1–125 mg/kg of HS, suggesting that HS possesses anti-hypertensive, hypotensive and negative chronotropic effects. The fall in mean arterial pressure was significantly pronounced in the hypertensive rats (salt-induced: 94.4 ± 8.6 mm Hg; l-NAME-induced: 136.5 ±10.3 mm Hg) than in the normotensive controls (50.2 ± 5.1 mm Hg; P < 0.05).