Blood pressure lowering, vasodilator and cardiac-modulatory potential of Carum roxburghianum seed extract

Abstract

In current study, we describe blood pressure (BP)-lowering, endothelium-dependent, and independent vasodilator and cardio-modulatory actions of Carum roxburghianum seed. The crude extract of C. roxburghianum seed (Cr.Cr) induced dose-dependent (10–100 mg/kg) fall in arterial BP of anaesthetized rats. In isolated rabbit aorta, Cr.Cr (0.3–10 mg/mL) inhibited high K⁺ (80 mM) and phenylephrine (PE, 1 µM)-induced contractions, like verapamil and papaverine. In endothelium-intact rat aortic preparations, N_ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride-sensitive vasodilator activity was observed with Cr.Cr, which also relaxed endothelium-denuded aorta tissues. In guinea-pig atria, Cr.Cr initially caused mild cardiac stimulation, followed by inhibition, as shown by papaverine. These results reveal that cardiovascular effects of C. roxburghianum seed extract are mediated possibly through combination of Ca⁺⁺ antagonist, nitric oxide modulating and phosphodiesterase inhibitory mechanisms, though further in-depth studies are required for elucidating precise mode of action.

• Cardioactive
• Carum roxburghianum
• hypotensive
• vasodilatator

Acknowledgements

The author Munasib Khan was on leave from the University of Malakand for his PhD study.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. This study was supported in part by the Pakistan Science Foundation.