Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Antihypertensive Activity of Aqueous-Methanol Extract of Berberis Orthobotrys Bien Ex Aitch in Rats

Alamgeer ¹ , Muhamamd S Akhtar¹, Qaiser Jabeen², Muhammad Akram¹, Hafeez U Khan¹, Sabeha Karim³, Muhammad NH Malik¹, Muhammad N Mushtaq¹, Umme Salma¹

¹Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha; ²Faculty of Pharmacy and Alternative Medicine Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur; ³University College of Pharmacy, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan.

For correspondence:- Alamgeer Email: alamyuchi@yahoo.com Tel:+92343754778

Received: 3 March 2013 Accepted: 2 May 2013 Published: 12 June 2013

Citation: A, Akhtar MS, Jabeen Q, Akram M, Khan HU, Karim S, et al. Antihypertensive Activity of Aqueous-Methanol Extract of Berberis Orthobotrys Bien Ex Aitch in Rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2013; 12(3):393-399 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i3.18

© 2013 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the hypotensive potential of Berberis orthobotrys Bien Ex Aitch (Family: Berberidaceae) in both normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Methods: Aqueous-methanol (70:30) extract of Berberis orthobotrys at doses of 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/kg was evaluated for its effect on blood pressure and heart rate using non-invasive blood pressure measuring apparatus. After initial screening, 100 mg/kg dose that produced a maximum effect was selected for the antihypertensive study. Median lethal dose (LD₅₀) and sub-chronic toxicity of the extract were also determined. Various biochemical parameters and organ weight were measured using standard procedures.

Results: The extract produced a significant (p < 0.01) decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean blood pressure (MBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate of normotensive rats at all test doses with maximum effect at 100 mg/kg. Similarly, a significant antihypertensive and negative chronotropic effect was observed in both hypertensive models. LD₅₀ of the extract was 200 mg/kg in mice. The extract also exhibited a reduction (p < 0.05) in serum alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), triglycerides and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels while a significant (p < 0.05) increase in high density lipoproteins (HDL) level was observed.

Conclusion: It seems that the aqueous-methanol extract of Berberis orthobotrys possesses active compounds which may be responsible for the antihypertensive and negative chronotropic effects in rats.

Keywords: Berberis orthobotrys, Antihypertensive, Egg feed diet, Blood lipids