DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i04.056

Pages: 1643-1650

Background: Leersia hexandra is an herbaceous plant used in traditional Cameroonian medicine to treat hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preventive effects of the aqueous extract of Leersia hexandra in alcohol-induced hypertension in rat. Method: Animals were divided into 5 groups of 6 animals each and treated during 35 days as followed: One group received distilled water (10 mg/kg), the other 4 groups received each in addition to 40° ethanol (5 g/kg), distilled water, the plant extract (100 and 200 mg/kg respectively) and nifedipine (10 mg/kg). At the end of the treatment, hemodynamic parameters were recorded by direct method. The heart and left ventricle were weighed and the ventricular hypertrophy index was calculated. Serum and tissue parameters were evaluated by the colorimetric method. Results: Leersia hexandra significantly prevented the increase of mean blood pressure (p < 0.001), heart rate (p < 0.05), creatinin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol and transaminase activities caused by ethanol compared to hypertensive rats. The extract also prevented the decrease (p < 0.001) of HDL-cholesterol levels. At the dose of 200 mg/kg, the extract prevented (p < 0.01) the significant increase of left ventricle hypertrophic index. The extract also prevented the decrease in reduced glutathione level, superoxide dismutase activity and the increase in malondialdehyde in investigated organs. Conclusion: These results suggest that Leersia hexandra aqueous extract may act on vascular resistance and possess lipid lowering and antioxidant activities which may justify its traditional use in the management of hypertension.