title: Effectiveness of B vitamins on the control of hypertension and stroke events of SHRSP rats.
abstract: The spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone rat (SHRSP) is a recognized animal model for the study of severe hypertension and stroke, being characterized by presenting an elevated tissue levels of free radicals. Therefore, this study has the main goal to identify the effect of B vitamins, closely associated to the control of oxidative stress, on SHRSP rats. After 10 days (baseline period), the animals, 18 SHRSP rats at 18 weeks of age, were divided into three groups with six rats treated with riboflavin (B2), six treated with pyridoxine (B6) plus folic acid (B9), and control. Body weight, water and food intake, diuresis, sensory-motor responses, and systolic blood pressure of all the rats were determined daily. Physical aspects of whole body (i.e., distribution and coloring of hair, skin and mucosa, and an eventual presence of bleeding, stains, cracks, or opacification) and behavior were equally monitored. The data were evaluated by ANOVA two-way and p < .05 was considered significant. The supraphysiologic doses did not cause toxic effects. There was a significant decrease of systolic blood pressure, homocysteine, and malondialdehyde (MDA) blood levels in animals under B vitamin supplementation. The treatment also inhibited the neurological signs of an ischemic attack (unbalance, ataxia, and convulsions). The findings reported here suggest that B vitamin therapy was effective for the control of systolic blood pressure and oxidative stress. Hence, it could be thought as one of the alternative therapies to prevent the occurrence of stroke.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nutritional Investigation and Degenerative-Chronic Diseases, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro State (UNIRIO), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camille Feitoza
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: França
authors.forename: Lucia Marques
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Vianna
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001259:Ataxia / Q000517:prevention & control; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D004856:Postural Balance; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005492:Folic Acid; D011736:Pyridoxine; D012256:Riboflavin