Effect of Cydonia oblonga Mill. fruit and leaf extracts on blood pressure and blood rheology in renal hypertensive rats

J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Mar 28;152(3):464-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.01.018. Epub 2014 Jan 25.

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Quince, Cydonia oblonga Mill. (COM), is used in traditional Uyghur medicine to treat or prevent cardiovascular diseases. Uyghur people have greater longevity and lower blood pressure than other central Asian populations. We therefore tested COM fruit and leaf extracts on blood pressure and rheology in renal hypertensive rats (RHR).

Materials and methods: Two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) renal hypertensive rats were divided randomly into eleven groups: sham, model, and model treated with daily doses of 80 and 160mg/kg aqueous or ethanol extracts of COM fruit or leaves, or 25mg/kg captopril (n=10 per group), given orally once daily for 8 weeks. Blood pressure was measured before treatment and every 2 weeks thereafter. Blood rheology was tested after 8 weeks.

Results: Model rats had higher blood pressure than sham 8 weeks after the procedure (systolic blood pressure 193±7 vs. 138±8mmHg, p<0.05). Those treated with captopril had decreased blood pressure within 2 weeks but that did not return to the level found in the sham group at 8 weeks (167±7, p<0.05 vs. model). With the COM extracts, the effect on blood pressure was notable after 4 weeks. At 8 weeks blood pressure was similar with captopril and with 160mg ethanol leaf extract (166±4, p<0.05 vs. model), the most effective of the extracts. Model rats had higher blood viscosity and lower erythrocyte deformability than sham. Captopril had little effect on blood rheology; whereas COM extracts reduced whole blood viscosity and improved erythrocyte deformability to levels approaching those found in sham.

Conclusions: COM extracts have antihypertensive activity in renal hypertensive rats. The additional effect on rheology, compared to captopril, may convey added interest. Further studies of these effects in man appear warranted.

Keywords: Blood rheology; Cydonia oblonga Mill. extracts; Diastolic blood pressure; Renal hypertension rats; Systolic blood pressure.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antihypertensive Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antihypertensive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blood Viscosity / drug effects
  • Captopril / pharmacology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fruit
  • Hypertension, Renal / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension, Renal / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Medicine, Traditional
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Rosaceae / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Captopril