Effects of a high-salt diet on MAP and expression levels of renal ENaCs and aquaporins in SHR.

An increase in blood pressure by a high-salt (HS) diet may change the expression levels of renal epithelial sodium channels (ENaCs) and aquaporins (AQPs). Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to HS and regular-salt (RS) diets for 6 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels were determined.

Psychological Stresses in Children Trigger Cytokine- and Kynurenine Metabolite-Mediated Abdominal Pain and Proinflammatory Changes.

Recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) is a common medically unexplained symptom among children worldwide. However, the biological mechanisms behind the development of functional and behavioral symptoms and changes in blood markers have not been well explored. This study aimed to assess changes in the concentrations of inflammatory markers, including cytokines and tryptophan catabolites, in the serum of children with RAP compared to those with subclinical infections.

Effects of stress associated with academic examination on the kynurenine pathway profile in healthy students.

The effects of stress on the neuroendocrine, central nervous and immune systems are extremely complex. The kynurenine pathway (KP) of the tryptophan metabolism is recognised as a cross-link between the neuroendocrine- and immune systems. However, the effects of acute stress from everyday life on KP activation have not yet been studied.

A preliminary study of the effect of a high-salt diet on transcriptome dynamics in rat hypothalamic forebrain and brainstem cardiovascular control centers.

Background: High dietary salt intake is strongly correlated with cardiovascular (CV) diseases and it is regarded as a major risk factor associated with the pathogenesis of hypertension. The CV control centres in the brainstem (the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM)) and hypothalamic forebrain (the subfornical organ, SFO; the supraoptic nucleus, SON and the paraventricular nucleus, PVN) have critical roles in regulating CV autonomic motor outflows, and thus maintaining blood pressure (BP). Growing evidence has implicated autonomic regulatory networks in salt-sensitive HPN (SSH), but the genetic basis remains to be delineated.

Selection of suitable endogenous reference genes for qPCR in kidney and hypothalamus of rats under testosterone influence.

Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is the most reliable and accurate technique for analyses of gene expression. Endogenous reference genes are being used to normalize qPCR data even though their expression may vary under different conditions and in different tissues. Nonetheless, verification of expression of reference genes in selected studied tissue is essential in order to accurately assess the level of expression of target genes of interest.

Effects of Root Extracts of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on Corpus Cavernosum of Rat.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of action of Eurycoma longifolia in rat corpus cavernosum.

Materials And Methods: Tincture of the roots was concentrated to dryness by evaporating the ethanol in vacuo. This ethanolic extract was partitioned into 5 fractions sequentially with hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate, butanol, and water.

First Report of Jack Root Extract Causing Relaxation of Aortic Rings in Rats.

Although has been studied for erectile function, the blood pressure- (BP-) lowering effect has yet to be verified. Hence, this study aims at investigating the BP-lowering properties of the plant with a view to develop an antihypertensive agent that could also preserve erectile function. Ethanolic root extract was partitioned by hexane, dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate, butanol, and water.

Potassium channel openers and prostacyclin play a crucial role in mediating the vasorelaxant activity of Gynura procumbens.

Background: Previous studies of Gynura procumbens (G. procumbens) have shown that partially purified fractions of the leaves are capable of lowering the blood pressure of rats by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzymic activity and causing vasodilatation. The objectives of this study were therefore to further purify the active compounds that exhibited selective effects on blood vessels, determine the mechanism of actions, and to qualitatively analyse the putative compounds present.

Gynura procumbens causes vasodilation by inhibiting angiotensin II and enhancing bradykinin actions.

Previous studies showed that Gynura procumbens reduced blood pressure by blocking calcium channels and inhibiting the angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. The present experiments were to further explore the effects and mechanisms of a purer aqueous fraction (FA-I) of G. procumbens on angiotensin I (Ang I)-induced and angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced contraction of aortic rings and also on the bradykinin (BK) effect on cardiovascular system.

Gynura procumbens Merr. decreases blood pressure in rats by vasodilatation via inhibition of calcium channels.

Introduction: Gynura procumbens has been shown to decrease blood pressure via inhibition of the angiotensinconverting enzyme. However, other mechanisms that may contribute to the hypotensive effect have not been studied.

Objectives: To investigate the cardiovascular effects of a butanolic fraction of Gynura procumbens in rats.

Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity by a partially purified fraction of Gynura procumbens in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Objectives: To investigate the hypotensive and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities of a partially purified fraction (FA-I) of the leaves of Gynura procumbens and to qualitatively analyse the putative compounds present in the fraction.

Materials And Methods: The hypotensive effect of FA-I was tested in both spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) by an intravenous administration of 0-10 mg/kg of the FA-I. Administration of captopril (20 microg/kg) served as the control.