Artemisia restores systolic blood pressure, attenuates serum sodium/potassium levels and prevents cardiac oxidative stress in hypertension

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate systolic blood pressure (SBP), serum sodium/potassium levels and cardiac antioxidants after Artemisia herba-alba oral administration in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). Design/methodology/approach Hypertension is a silent killer disease. The SHR model was used in this study due to the similarity of high blood pressure in human and rat. The SBP, serum sodium and potassium, urinary sodium and potassium, cardiac antioxidants and heart histology were examined in SHR after oral administration with 10 and 20% of the LD50 of Artemisia herba-alba during four weeks. Findings The LD50 of Artemisia herba-alba was found to be 1000 mg/kg. Doses of 100 mg/kg (10% LD50) and 200 mg/kg (20% LD50) were considered in the present study. The oral administration of SHR rats with Artemisia extract at 100 and 200 mg/kg decreased (p < 0.01) the body weights, SBP and serum sodium and potassium. Meanwhile, cardiac superoxide dismutase and gluthatione peroxidase were increased in SHR-treated rats. Histology of SHR cardiac tissues showed tissue degenerative but oral intake of 100 and 200 mg/kg artemisia exhibited normal muscle fibers, acidophilic cytoplasm and central nuclei. Originality/value The cardiovascular diseases are the first reason for high death rate in Western countries and collapsing economies due to hypertensive patients suffering high health-care costs. The advantage of hypertension Herba l treatment occurred due to its cheap and available source. Artemisia herba-alba leaves restored SBP, attenuated serum sodium/potassium levels and prevented cardiac oxidative stress in SHR.