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Antihypertensive effects of the methylene chloride leaf extract of Celtis durandii Engler (Ulmaceae) on rats
Abstract
Celtis durandii (Ulmaceae), one of the plants used in traditional medicine to cure migraine, epilepsy,and high blood pressure, was administrated as antihypertensive in normotensive rats (NTR) and hypertensive saline rats (HSR). The antihypertensive effects of the methylene chloride extract of the plant were evaluated in NTR and HSR by the invasive method. Results indicated that C. durandii induce a decreased blood pressure after administration of the extract. This sudden decrease was followed by a slight increase, and then by an antihypertensive late activity of the extract that lasted for one hour. At a dose of 20 mg/kg, the antihypertensive late activity of C. durandii extract was 42% in NTR and 65.21% in HSR. The urinary excretion of Na+ increased by 260% and 475% respectively in NTR and HSR at the dose of 300 mg/kg while that of K+ increased by 260% and 123% in the same animals at the same dose. The results suggest that C durandii possesses an antihypertensive activity that could result from its diuretic effects. This activity could be explained by decrease of surrounding resistances.
Keywords : Celtis durandii, Blood pressure, Hypotension, Diuretic, Rat .