Background: Hypertension is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction, dysregulation of the antioxidant system and alteration of the level of some enzymes in the metabolic pathway. The possible modulatory effect of acute renal denervation (ARD) on cardiovascular function and the antioxidant system is still a subject of intense debate. This study sought to ascertain the ameliorative effects of ARD on cardiovascular parameters, antioxidant system, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPoor maternal sleep quality during the different phases of pregnancy acts as a prenatal stress and is critical for fetal development. Despite the potential adverse effects of maternal stress on the behavior and physiology of the offspring, the mechanisms remain poorly understood. The present study investigates the effects of maternal sleep deprivation (SD) at different stages of pregnancy on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in female offspring.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Abnormal vascular reactivity and reduced expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase () gene are hallmark of salt-induced hypertension in rats. Although l-arginine is an established vasodilator, the mechanism by which it modulates vascular reactivity in salt-induced hypertension is not clearly understood.
Objectives: This study was designed to investigate the mechanism by which oral l-arginine supplementation modulates vascular reactivity and gene expression in Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-salt diet.
We sought to determine the effect of amiloride on blood pressure (BP) and the presence of polymorphisms of the β-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) among normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HT) Nigerians. Healthy volunteers-47 NT and 53 age-matched HT were recruited after giving informed consent. Subjects were salt-loaded with 200 mmol of NaCl daily for 5 days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In recent times, many herbal remedies are used to treat variety of ailments. The leaves of Vitex grandifolia is claimed to be effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus and as a diuretic in the treatment of high blood pressure. However, there are no scientific reports on the therapeutic benefits or toxicity of this plant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study investigated the vasorelaxant action of the aqueous leaves extract of Persea americana on isolated rat aorta. The results showed that the extract produced significant vasorelaxation and that the effect is dependent on the synthesis or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs) as well as the release of prostanoid. The extract also reduced vasoconstriction probably by inhibiting Ca2+ influx through calcium channels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF