EVALUATION OF ANTI-HYPERTENSIVE EFFECTS OF ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA (BURN. F.) WALL EX. NEES EXTRACT ON HEMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS AND REDOX CHANGES IN CADMIUM-INDUCED HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Apata D. A.*, Owokotomo I. A. and Sanni D. M.

ABSTRACT

Hypertension, a leading cardiovascular risk factor, can be life threatening if not properly managed. The medicinal plant, Andrographis paniculata (AP), has a rich history of ethnobotanical usage among the Yoruba people in south-western Nigeria for the treatment of a wide range of illnesses and complications. However, literature on the antihypertensive effect of the extracts of this plant has not been widely published. Thus in the present study, we investigate the effects of a methanol extract of AP on the blood pressure and biochemical indices of cadmium-induced hypertensive Wistar rats. Systolic, diastolic, and heart rate of the rats were determined. Also, activities of biomarker enzymes [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein (TP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lipid profile [cholesterol (TC), low/very low density lipoprotein (LDL/VLDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglyceride (TG)], and cardiac antioxidant indices [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH)] were assessed. The results demonstrated that administration of cadmium chloride (p < 0.05) significantly increased the blood pressure, serum biomarkers, and lipid profile with a simultaneous decrease in catalase, SOD, GSH activities, and high-density lipoprotein, which are indicative of oxidative stress. However, treatment with AP extract at varying concentrations resulted in significant decrease in biomarker enzymes and lipid profile, suggesting a protective effect against cardio-toxicity. It was also observed that AP methanol extract significantly increased HDL level and facilitated an increase in catalase, GSH, and SOD activities, an indication of improved antioxidant status. This could be part of the biochemical mechanisms underlying the protective role of AP extract against cardio-toxicity. Therefore, this study provides evidence for the antihypertensive activity of AP and provokes further research for clinical application.

Keywords: Andrographis Paniculata, Antihypertensive, Cadmium Chloride, Lipid Profile.