The Acute and Chronic Effects of Co-Administration of Turmeric and Black Pepper Extracts in Genetic Hypertension

Abstract

High blood pressure is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, it affects many people worldwide and is a public health problem. This study explored the acute and chronic actions of a mixture of turmeric (95% curcumin) plus black pepper (95% piperine) extracts, in the blood pressure pattern in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) along they age. For the acute study male adult (4 -7 months old) SHR and their control Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. A single oral dose of the mixture of turmeric/black pepper extracts (200 mg/2mg, respectively) suspension was administered. Tail-cuff was used to determine blood pressure during 180 min. For the chronic study, young (1-month-old) male SHR and their control WKY rats were fed with standard chow, or standard chow combined with cocoa, or combined with cocoa plus the mixture of turmeric/black pepper extracts; tail-cuff was used to determine blood pressure once a week, along 12 weeks. In a second chronic assay adult (5 months old) male SHR and their control WKY rats were fed with standard chow, or standard chow combined with cocoa, or combined with cocoa plus the mixture of turmeric/black pepper extracts; tail-cuff was used to determine blood pressure once a week, along 12 weeks. In all three studies, a decrease in systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure was observed, being higher in SHR and negligible in WKY rats. The mixture of turmeric/black pepper extracts showed antihypertensive actions in SHR rats with no effect on WKY rats. The mixture delayed the onset of hypertension in young SHR rats.