Blutaparon portulacoides is a Brazilian plant species that is widely used in folk medicine. The present study investigated the role of an aqueous extract of B. portulacoides
against hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The aqueous extract of B. portulacoides was obtained from the whole plant. Its chemical profile was analyzed by
ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The acute toxicity of the aqueous extract of B. portulacoides was evaluated in female Wistar rats. Male 6-month-old
spontaneously hypertensive rats then received the aqueous extract of B. portulacoides (30, 100, and 300 mg/kg), hydrochlorothiazide (25 mg/kg), or vehicle once daily for 28 days. On
days 1, 14, and 28, the diuretic effects of the aqueous extract of B. portulacoides were evaluated. The role of prostaglandins and the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine
monophosphate-potassium channel pathway in the diuretic activity of the aqueous extract of B. portulacoides was also investigated. At the end of the treatment, hepatic and renal
biochemical markers, serum nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde, nitrite, and aldosterone levels, and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity were measured. The electrocardiographic profile, blood
pressure, and renal vascular reactivity were also assessed. The heart, kidneys, and liver were collected to determine relative organ weight, histopathology, and cardiac morphometry. Caffeic
acid, ferulic acid, and several flavonoids were identified in the aqueous extract of B. portulacoides. No signs of toxicity were observed. Prolonged treatment with the aqueous extract
of B. portulacoides (300 mg/kg) induced significant diuretic activity by activating the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-potassium channel pathway. These effects reduced
blood pressure and oxidative stress and prevented renal vascular dysfunction and left ventricular hypertrophy that was induced by hypertension. Overall, the present data suggest that the
aqueous extract of B. portulacoides has important diuretic and cardioprotective effects by activation of the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate-potassium channel pathway.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.