Amelioration of N?-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) Induced Hypertension and Cardio-renal Oxidative Stress in Rat Model by Methanol Extract of Ficus exasperata Leaf

Hypertension is a chronic cardiovascular disease and an important risk factor for many cardiovascular complications which makes affordable, effective and efficient management protocols inevitable. Ficus exaspirata is a medicinal plant with antioxidant potentials that is being used in the management of diseases in Nigeria.We, therefore, investigated the ameliorative effects of Ficus exaspirata on L-NAME induced hypertension, oxidative stress and cardio-renal complicationsForty eight male rats (Wistar strain) were used in this study, and they were randomly divided into six experimental groups with eight rats in each group. Group A served as the controls and they received distilled water only for the period of 21 days. Group B was given L-NAME only at 40 mg/kg while groups C, D and E were given a daily dose of L-NAME at 40 mg/kg and methanol leaf extract at respective doses of 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg for 21 days. Group F was given a daily dose of L-NAME (40 mg/kg) + Lisinopril (0.28 mg/kg) orally for 21 days. Blood pressure measurements were recorded in conscious animals by tail cuff plethysmography. Electrocardiography was also carried out. Biochemical assays were done on the serum, cardiac and renal tissues to assess the oxidative status and antioxidant defense system.Treatment with L-NAME caused a significant (p <0.05) increase in blood pressure (bp) (mmHg); systolic (160.45.5±11.19), diastolic (121.78±3.69) and mean arterial blood pressure (134.78±3.67) when compared with those of the control with systolic bp (105.89±5.21), diastolic bp (83.33±5.55) and mean arterial bp (90.78±3.34). There was increase in QT and QTc intervals. A significant (P<0.05) increase was also observed in the markers of oxidative stress in the heart and renal tissues such as Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); in group B (53.46±4.76) compared with A (42.83±4.56) and Malondealdehyde (MDA) in group B (8.66±3.55) compared with A (5.30±3.21), in cardiac tissues. There was also a decrease in antioxidant defense system such as Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in group B (11.28±3.98) when compared with the control (26.97±10.38)Treatment with Ficus exasperata leaf extract caused a significant (P<0.05) decrease in systolic bp (108.56±4.95) diastolic bp (76.89±19.41) and mean arterial bp (85.22±14.15), restoration of heart rhythm evident in QT and QTc measurements comparable to that of the control and reduction in cardio-renal markers of oxidative stress such as H2O2 (43.42±3.75) and MDA (4.04±1.61) better than that there respective lisinopril treated groups; (51.39±8.38) and (6.14±2.22). It also led to increase in SOD (24.57±10.38) comparable to that of lisinopril (20.69±6.73).The results obtained from this study showed that the leaf extract of Ficus exasperata has anti-hypertensive and cardio-renal protective properties through modulation of oxidative stress in L-NAME induced hypertension. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.