Background: Juçara açaí is a Brazilian berry with high anthocyanidin content and high antioxidant properties. A correlation between oxidative stress, hypertension and baroreflex impairment is known, however, no previous studies investigate the effect of juçara fruit pulp on hypertension. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate antihypertensive effect of juçara (Euterpe edulis) fruit pulp in SHR animals, its antioxidant capacity and influence on baroreflex sensitivity. Methods: Chemical profile was obtained by ESI(-)-FT-ICR-MS. For biological analysis, male SHR were separated into groups: control (S), which received water; captopril (SC), which received captopril (30 mg/kg), and juçara (SJ), which received juçara pulp (4.4mL/kg). Treatments were daily performed by gavage and remained for 8 weeks. Baroreflex evaluation was made by in bolus injection of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside, after the analysis the heart was frozen (-80ºC) for biomolecular evaluations (AOPP, TBARS, SOD and catalase activity and protein expression). Results: The treatments promoted decrease in arterial pressure (S: 163.3±2.2; SC: 154.0±0.6; SJ: 149.0±3.8 mmHg) and improved the baroreflex sensitivity after nitroprusside activation. In addition, it promoted a decrease in AOPP and an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes. However, no changes were observed in protein expression. Conclusion: It was shown that juçara can promote cardiovascular benefits and its consume should be stimulated for prevention of hypertension.

Cardiovascular disease is a health problem that generates economic and social impacts worldwide and hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. Currently, conventional medicine offers treatments that control and regulate blood pressure through medication, but the traditional medicines of different cultures have used plants and foods to treat and prevent this type of disease for many years. Brazilian flora has enormous potential due to its wide diversity; however, few studies have evaluated the effects of fruits for reducing or preventing hypertension. This literature review was intended to target current work with Brazilian fruits that sought evidence of species for which consumption could serve as an adjuvant to existing drugs for the control of hypertension. We found studies of five Brazilian fruits which some of them are popularly used to treat hypertension and the results of the research were compared and discussed. Schinus terebentifolius, Passiflora edulis, Euterpe oleracea and Insignis platonia demonstrated promising effects, while Myrciaria dubia did not show positive effects. Thus, we can conclude that Brazilian fruit has potential for use in the treatment of hypertension; however, further studies need to be conducted to explore these fruits in order to increase knowledge in this area. Thus, these fruits could be incorporated into food and used as adjuvants in the treatment of this chronic disease, which has negative impacts on the quality of life of the population.