Pharmacological Basis for the Medicinal Use of Wrightia tinctoria in Hypertension and Dyslipidemia

Abstract

This study was aimed to offer a possible pharmacological basis regarding the remedial utilization of Wrightia tinctoria in hypertension and dyslipidemia in certain South Asian traditional systems of medicine, using in vivo and in vitro assays. The aqueous methanolic extract of W. tinctoria seeds (Wt.Cr) caused a dose-dependent (1-10 mg/kg) decrease in arterial pressure in anesthetized rats. In the right atria of isolated guinea pigs, Wt.Cr equally inhibited force and rate of spontaneous atrial contractions. When tested on phenylephrine-, high K(+)-, and low K(+)-induced vasoconstrictions in isolated rat aorta, Wt.Cr produced a concentration-dependent vasorelaxation, the most potent being against low K(+)-induced contraction. It also created a rightward shift in the Ca(++) concentration-response curves and suppressed phenylephrine control peaks in a Ca(++)-free environment. In the rat model of tyloxapol-induced dyslipidemia, Wt.Cr produced a decline in the serum levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. In high fat diet-induced dyslipidemia, it decreased serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, improved high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and prevented the increase in average body weights by causing a decrease in diet consumption. These data suggest that Wt.Cr(++) lowers blood pressure through a combination of K(+)-channel opening and Ca(++)-channel blocking effects along with antidyslipidemic and weight-reducing properties.

Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of polyherbal formulation and its ingredients in cardiovascular disorders using rodents

“…The observed cardiac inhibitory effect of the test material(s) might be attenuating cardiac output leading to a decrease in the blood pressure. Our findings are in line with the cardiac inhibitory effect of medicinal plants causing reduction in the cardiac output, thus resulting in decreased blood pressure [15, 43, 51–53]. In summary, it appears that nature has composed the opposing mechanisms not allowing the vasodilator effect to cross the desired limit thus overriding excessive drop in blood pressure, which has usually been observed when using standard antihypertensive drugs [45].…”

Studies on antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and vasculoprotective potential of Viola odorata and Wrightia tinctoria

“…Our results also indicate the possibility that the methanol extracts of these plants can inhibit HFD‐induced vascular damage by preventing hyperuricemia and hyperphosphatemia. The previously reported Ca ++ channel blocking activity of VO and WT (Siddiqi et al, ; Siddiqi et al, ) strengthen the case of using these plants for hepatoprotection. We know that increased concentrations of cytosolic Ca ++ contribute towards hepatotoxicity.…”

“…In the current studies, we observed that HFD elevates serum concentrations of GGT, AST, and ALT, as shown in Figure 4. In case of the VO study, the normal concentration of GGT, AST, and ALT were 24.9 ± 1.2 units/L, 126 ± 20.7 units/L, and 58.9 ± 9 units/L, respectively, which were significantly elevated to 51.6 ± 1.9 units/L, reported Ca ++ channel blocking activity of VO and WT (Siddiqi et al, 2012;Siddiqi et al, 2014) strengthen the case of using these plants for hepatoprotection. We know that increased concentrations of cytosolic Ca ++ contribute towards hepatotoxicity.…”

“…Previously, we have shown that VO and WT extracts can also ameliorate hypertension and dyslipidemia (Siddiqi et al, 2012;Siddiqi et al, 2014). Because chronic cardiovascular disease often manifests a complex interplay of multiple organs, and nonalcoholic fatty liver is a common comorbidity, these plants present ideal candidates for treating cardiometabolic disorders.…”

“…Various South Asian traditional systems of medicine mention the effectiveness of WT in the management of cardiac palpitations (Nadkarni, 1979) and high blood pressure (Kumar & Kumar, 2011;Rajendran, Agarwal, & Sundaresan, 2004;Tare, Gore, Deore, Bidkar, & Dama, 2011). Both VO and WT lower blood pressure and serum lipids as well as exhibit Ca ++ channel blocking activity (Siddiqi, Majeed, & Gilani, 2014;Siddiqi, Mehmood, Rehman, & Gilani, 2012), thus showing potential in coronary artery disease (CAD).…”