The authors report here the results of study on Parkia biglobosa seeds used in Burkina Faso for arterial hypertension treatment. Investigations were done on acute toxicity and vascular properties of fermented and roasted seeds. Acute toxicity test using mice, revealed by the intraperitoneal route a lethal dose 50 (LD 50 ) of 1800 mg/kg and 1600 mg/kg of body weight for aqueous extract from roasted and fermented seeds respectively. According to the scale of Hodge and Sterner and that of the World Health Organization, such drugs would be classified lightly toxic. Oral administration (up to 3000 mg/kg) did not induce any death of animal. For the vascular properties, the effects of these products were tested on the aorta isolated from rats. The cumulative administration of extract from roasted and fermented seeds (0.1-10 mg/mL) in an organ bath induced a concentration-dependent relaxation of the aorta pre contracted by phenylephrine, with or without functional endothelium. The extracts (10 mg/mL) inhibited for 100% the contraction induced by phenylephrine. The EC 50 values in presence and absence of endothelium were respectively of 5.37 ± 0.12 and 4.19 ± 1.02 mg/mL for fermented seeds; for roasted seeds these values were respectively, 5.39 ± 1.12 and 5.93 ± 0.95 mg/mL. Nevertheless, low concentration of roasted seeds (1-4 mg/mL) induced endothelium-dependent relaxation and this effect was inhibited by indomethacin (10 -5 M), and not by L-NAME (310 -4 M). These experimental results revealed a vasorelaxant effect of P. biglobosa seeds. P. biglobosa seems to act directly on the smooth muscle and via endothelium involving the generation of vasodilatating prostaglandins. This vasodilator effect would be in favor of an anti hypertensive property of P. biglobosa seeds.
Root bark extracts from Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Lam (Rutaceae) and Calotropis procera Aït (Asclepiadaceae) were used in Burkina Faso folk medicine for several diseases particularly sickle cell anemia. Authors reported here vasorelaxant effect of these plants on rat isolated aorta. Z. zanthoxyloïdes (cumulative addition) produces a concentration-dependent relaxation on the aorta. Maximal effects are respectively of 60.34 ± 2.34 and 100% in the presence and in the absence of endothelium. C. procera extract induces a more relaxing effect on endothelium-denuded aorta (Emax = 59.78 ± 2.13% and 100% in presence and absence of endothelium respectively). FACA, the mixture of these two plants also induces vasorelaxation (Emax = 100%), with better effect in the presence of endothelium (EC 50 = 2.76 ± 0.38 mg/mL and 4.90 ± 0.69 mg/mL in presence and absence of endothelium respectively). Endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect of FACA was inhibited by L-NAME; this clearly indicates that NO is involved in aorta relaxation process by FACA. Taken together this study revealed that FACA and its components possess vasodilator effect. This vascular property of FACA may be involved in the amendment of sickle cell crisis through inhibition of vaso-occlusion process.
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