Blood Pressure Lowering and Vasomodulator Effects of Piperine

Abstract

This study was aimed to explore underlying mechanism(s) of cardiovascular effects of piperine. Intravenous administration of piperine caused a dose-dependent (1 to 10 mg/kg) decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) in normotensive anesthetized rats; the next higher dose (30 mg/kg) did not cause any further change in MAP. The fall in blood pressure (BP) was followed by small increase in MAP after each dose. In Langendorrf's rabbit heart preparation, piperine caused partial inhibition and verapamil caused complete inhibition of force and rate of ventricular contractions and coronary flow. In rabbit aortic rings, piperine inhibited high K+ (80 mM) precontractions and partially inhibited phenylephrine (PE), suggesting Ca2+ channel blockade (CCB), which was further confirmed when pretreatment of tissues with piperine caused rightward shift in Ca2+ concentration-response curves, similar to verapamil. In Ca2+-free medium, piperine (1 to 30 microM) exhibited vasoconstrictor effect. In rat aorta, piperine demonstrated endothelium-independent vasodilator effect and was more potent against high K+ precontractions than PE. In bovine coronary artery preparations, piperine inhibited high K+ precontractions completely. These data indicate that piperine possesses a blood pressure-lowering effect mediated possibly through CCB, while consistent decrease in BP was restricted by associated vasoconstrictor effect. Additionally, species selectivity exists in the CCB effect of piperine.

A Review on Therapeutic Potential of Piper nigrum L. (Black Pepper): The King of Spices

“…Piper nigrum (Black Pepper) or pure compound ''Piperine'' exhibits many more Pharmacological activities like antihypertensive, antiplatelets, antipyretic, antispasmodic, antifungal, anti-apoptotic, anti-metastatic, antimutagenic, anti-spermatogenic, anti-Colon toxin, anti-asthmatics, anti-anxiety, antithyroids, antifungal, insecticidal and larvicidal activities etc [1][2][3][4][5].…”

“…It is widely used in different traditional systems of medicine like Ayurvedic and Unani System of medicines [1,2]. Piperine exhibits diverse pharmacological activities like antihypertensive and antiplatelets [3], antioxidant, antitumor [4], antiasthmatics [5], antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, antispasmodic, anxiolytic, antidepressants [6], hepato-protective [7], immuno-modulatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-thyroids, antiapoptotic, anti-metastatic, antimutagenic, anti-spermatogenic, antiColon toxin, insecticidal and larvicidal activities etc. Piperine has been found to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of many drugs, vaccines and nutrients by increasing oral bioavailability by inhibiting various metabolising enzymes [8].…”

<i>Mentha longifolia</i> lowers blood pressure in anesthetized rats through multiple pathways

“…An indirect approach was followed (Taqvi et al, 2008;Shah and Gilani, 2009); accordingly, aortic rings were washed few times with Ca ++ -free solution before the construction of control CRCs of Ca ++ (as CaCl2). When the control CRCs of Ca++ were found superimposable, then tissue was pretreated with the test material for 30 min to test for possible Ca ++ channels blocking effect.…”

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“…A large number of compounds having 1,3-benzodioxole ring system has been reported to possess different kind of biological activity like anticancer [1][2][3][4][5] , anticonvulsant 6a,7 , antidepressant 9,10 , anti-inflammatory 8 , antihypertensive 14 , antioxidant 4 , antiprotozoal 11 , anti-vitiligo 12 , immunomodulatory 13 .…”