The present study was designed to evaluate the antihypertensive activity of oleanolic acid isolated from Viscum articulatum, Burm. (Loranthaceae) in glucocorticoid (dexamethasone)-induced hypertension in rats and to propose a probable mechanism of action for this effect. Male Wistar rats (300-350 g) received dexamethasone (20 μg/kg/day s.c.) or saline (vehicle) for 10 days. In a prevention study, the rats received oleanolic acid (60 mg/kg i.p.) for 5 days, followed by dexamethasone or saline for 10 days. During this period the systolic blood pressure and body weight were evaluated on alternate days. At the end of the experiment, the weight of the thymus gland, plasma nitrate/nitrite (nitric oxide metabolites) concentration and cardiac lipid peroxidation value were determined. Oleanolic acid (60 mg/kg i.p.) significantly prevented a rise in the systolic blood pressure and cardiac lipid peroxidation level after administration of dexamethasone (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) without showing any significant effect on the dexamethasone-induced change in body and thymus weights. The decrease in concentration of plasma nitrate/nitrite due to dexamethasone was prevented significantly in the group treated with oleanolic acid (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that oleanolic acid (60 mg/kg i.p.) prevents dexamethasone-induced hypertension in rats, which may be attributed to its antioxidant and nitric oxide releasing action.

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Clinical pharmacologists undertake many tasks, and this makes defining a curriculum challenging. This is especially so under the changing circumstances in developing countries, where clinical pharmacology has an expanding role. The clinical pharmacologist may be responsible for conducting ethical clinical trials, supporting the needs of the generic drug industry, providing access to safe, effective and affordable medicines, guiding their rational use, achieving millennium development goals, and supervising medicines management standards for hospital accreditation. Clinical pharmacologists, including those in developing countries, have a great opportunity to contribute to public health and the growth of pharmaceutical industry, but at present, less clinical research is undertaken and fewer clinical trials are done than might be expected. Here we review clinical pharmacology training in India, consider the needs of different professionals contributing to clinical research and medicines utilization, and suggest ways in which current programs can be modified and new programs started. The conclusions are relevant to clinical pharmacology in both the developing and the developed world.