Argan (Argania spinosa) oil lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial dysfunction in spontaneously hypertensive rats

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2004-12, Vol.92 (6), p.921-929
• Main Authors: Berrougui, Hicham, de Sotomayor, Maria Alvarez, Pérez-Guerrero, Concepción, Ettaib, Abdelkader, Hmamouchi, Mohamed, Marhuenda, Elisa, Herrera, Maria Dolores
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Aorta, Thoracic - drug effects; Aorta, Thoracic - physiopathology; Argan oil; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Atherosclerosis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Blood Pressure - physiology; Carbachol - pharmacology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiotonic Agents - pharmacology; Coronary vessels; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors - pharmacology; Cyclooxygenase products; Diet; Endothelium; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - physiopathology; Experimental diseases; Fatty acids; Free Radicals - metabolism; Heart rate; Heart Rate - drug effects; Heart Rate - physiology; Hypertension; Indomethacin - pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior - drug effects; Mesenteric Artery, Inferior - physiopathology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitroarginine - pharmacology; Oils & fats; Oxidative stress; Physiology; Plant Oils - administration & dosage; Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Inbred SHR; Rats, Inbred WKY; Risk factors; Sapotaceae - chemistry; Spontaneously hypertensive rats; Thromboxane B2 - analysis; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1079/BJN20041293

Traditionally hand-pressed argan oil, obtained from Argania spinosa seeds, is eaten raw in south-west Morocco; its rich composition of tocopherols, MUFA and PUFA make a study of its actions on risk factors for CVD, such as hypertension, interesting. The effects of 7 weeks of treatment with argan oil (10ml/kg) on the blood pressure and endothelial function of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar–Kyoto rats were investigated. Systolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured every week by the tail-cuff method and endothelial function was assessed by carbachol (10−8 to 10−4m)-induced relaxations of aortic rings and small mesenteric arteries pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Argan-oil administration reduced the mean blood pressure of SHR after the fifth week of treatment (P