title: Treatment with Lindera strychnifolia reduces blood pressure by decreasing sympathetic nerve activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: Lindera strychnifolia (Tendai-Uyaku), a medicinal plant, has long been used for the treatment of cardiac, renal and rheumatic diseases in Japan. We investigated the effect of Lindera strychnifolia on systolic blood pressure, cardiac function, and plasma noradrenaline levels in rats. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were given free access to water or extract solution of Lindera strychnifolia, which was extracted with a ratio of 10 g Lindera strychnifolia roots/20 ml water. Systolic blood pressure was measured by using a tail-cuf sphygmomanometer twice a week from 10 to 30 weeks of age, and compared to the age-matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) as a control group. At 30 weeks of age, heart function was measured by echocardiography and blood samples were taken for detection of plasma noradrenaline levels, and rats were then sacrificed. Systolic blood pressure gradually increased from 10 to 30 weeks of age in the SHR group, while it did not change in the WKY group. In the Lindera-treated SHR group, the increase in systolic blood pressure was significantly attenuated from 21 to 30 weeks of age. Echocardiography showed a significant increase in ejection fraction in the Lindera-treated SHR group (60.4 +/- 7.8%) as compared to the SHR group (39.7 +/- 23.4%). Plasma noradrenaline levels were significantly decreased in Lindera-treated SHR group compared to the SHR group. These results suggest that Lindera strychnifolia has an anti-hypertensive effect and improves cardiac function in spontaneous hypertensive rats. These effects may be related to the decrease in plasma noradrenaline levels by Lindera strychnifolia.
authors.affiliation: Kyoto Women's University, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimomura
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ushikoshi
authors.forename: Arihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Ichijiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: Takuma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawasaki
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishigaki
authors.forename: Genzou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Takemura
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minatoguchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D027443:Lindera / Q000737:chemistry*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D019722:Sphygmomanometers; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009638:Norepinephrine