The Antihypertensive Effect of Hydro-methanolic Extract of Tulbaghia acutiloba Harv. in L-NAME induced Hypertensive Rats

• Published in: Clinical complementary medicine and pharmacology 2023-09, Vol.3 (3), p.100101, Article 100101
• Main Authors: Arhin, Isaiah, Moodley, Kogi, Baijnath, Himansu, Ibrahim, Usri H., Mackraj, Irene
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidant; Haematological parameters; Hypertension; Renal function; Tulbaghia acutiloba
• ISSN: 2772-3712; 2772-3712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ccmp.2023.100101

•Tulbaghia acutiloba is a traditional herb commonly used for treatment of hypertension and infection in Southern Africa, however, there is no investigation reported it is effect on renal and haematological parameters.•This study investigates the effect of Tulbaghia acutiloba on renal and haematological parameters in l-NAME induced hypertensive rats.•Tulbaghia acutiloba administration resulted in a significant decrease in renal NF-kB gene expression.•Tulbaghia acutiloba administration resulted in a significant increase in HO-1 and NO gene expression in renal tissues. Traditional use of Tulbaghia acutiloba (TA) in South Africa includes treating various illnesses, such as infectious diseases and hypertension. However, the effect of this indigenous plant on renal and haematological parameters (as indicators of antihypertensive efficacy) has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to evaluate the change of renal and haematological parameters after treatment with the hydro-methanolic extract of the leaf of Tulbaghia acutiloba Harv. in L-NAME- induced hypertensive rats. Male albino Wistar rats received an oral dose of 50 mg·kg-1 body weight (bw) of Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) daily for 5 weeks. Five groups (7 animals in each group) were identified to receive different treatments as concurrent daily doses of (40, 60 and 80 mg·kg-1 bw), ramipril (10 mg·kg-1 bw) (positive control) and water (hypertension model). Mean arterial blood pressure was measured weekly using the tail-cuff method. A 24-hour urine sample was collected for each rat weekly. On day 36, the rats were euthanized, and blood samples were collected for the determination of renal function and haematological analysis. Kidney mRNA gene expression was performed for NF-kB, Ho1 and eNos. The treatment of the hypertensive rats with TA resulted in a significant reduction in the mean arterial blood pressure, with a pronounced effect observed in the 80 mg·kg-1 dose of TA compared to the positive control. The TA-treated group showed increased creatinine clearance (Ccr), urine volume and a reduction in serum creatinine, proteinuria and urine protein-creatinine ratio (UPr/UCr). TA treatment also decreased lipid peroxidation in renal tissues and erythrocytes while increasing SOD, CAT, GSH and NO levels. Moreover, red cell distribution width (RDW), white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet and mean platelet volume (MPV)