Hydroethanol extracts from Senecio serratuloides DC exhibit antihypertensive properties

A team of researchers from South Africa and Zambia investigated the ability of the South African plant called Senecio serratuloides to lower high blood pressure. The team published their results in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• S. serratuloides is used in folk medicine to treat hypertension, skin conditions, internal and external sores, rashes, burns, and wounds.
• Because of its efficacy, it is traditionally referred to as the “two-day cure” plant.
• In this study, the researchers examined its effects on hypertension in rats.
• To do so, they induced hypertension in mice by giving them 40 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) once daily for four weeks.
• Then, they divided the rats into five groups:
  • One group received 20 mg/kg of L-NAME and 150 mg/kg of S. serratuloides hydroethanolic extract.
  • The second group received 20 mg/kg of L-NAME and 300 mg/kg of S. serratuloides hydroethanolic extract.
  • The third group was treated with 20 mg/kg of L-NAME and 20 mg/kg of captopril.
  • The fourth group received saline only, while the fifth group did not receive any treatment.
• The team measured the rats’ blood pressure, lipid profile, nitric oxide, renin, and angiotensin II levels.
• Additionally, they quantified mineralocorticoid receptor concentration in the kidney homogenate.
• Results showed that S. serratuloides hydroethanolic extract treatment significantly and dose-dependently lowered blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels of the rats.
• It also significantly prevented L-NAME-induced decrease in blood pressure regulators such as angiotensin II, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and nitric oxide concentrations.
• In addition, it dramatically prevented collagen deposition in cardiac tissue.
• Furthermore, S. serratuloides hydroethanolic extract was found to be non-toxic.
• Overall, S. serratuloides hydroethanolic extract exhibited antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, and cardioprotective effects in rats.

The findings of the study confirmed the use of S. serratuloides crude extract in traditional antihypertensive treatment.

Read more studies on natural treatments for hypertension and other heart problems at ReverseHeartDisease.news.

Journal Reference:

Tata CM, Sewani-Rusike CR, Oyadeji OO, Gwebu ET, Mahlakata F, Nkeh-Chungag BN. ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF THE HYDRO-ETHANOL EXTRACT OF SENECIO SERRATULOIDES DC IN RATS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 28 February 2019; 19. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-019-2463-2