title: Chronic treatment with flavonoids prevents endothelial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rat aorta.
abstract: Flavonoids are known to possess cardioprotective properties. Vascular endothelial function is a surrogate marker for cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension. We have studied the effects of chronic flavonoid treatment on vascular endothelial functions in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Starting from 6-7 weeks old, SHR were given flavonoids (baicalein, flavone, or quercetin) orally (10 mg/kg, once daily) to the SHRs for 4 weeks. Aortas from all the flavonoid-treated animals showed remarkably higher endothelium-dependent relaxations to acetylcholine, to a similar extent as those pretreated with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril. However, in contrast to other experimental groups, flavone pretreatment also enhanced the endothelium-independent relaxations to sodium nitroprusside. In addition, treatment with either flavone or quercetin induced a significant attenuation in systolic blood pressure of the hypertensive animals. The present results suggest that chronic treatment with the flavonoids (baicalein, flavone, and quercetin) preserves vascular endothelial functions in hypertensive animals through several possible actions, including increasing endothelial nitric oxide production and bioavailability and reduction in blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Machha
authors.forename: Mohd Rais
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mustafa
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010656:Phenylephrine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D011188:Potassium