Preventive Potential of the Aqueous Extract of the Mixture of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) and Cymbopogon citratus (Poaceae) Aerial Parts on Hypertension Induced by a Chronic Salt and Alcohol Consumption on the Rats

Abstract

High blood pressure (HBP) is currently one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Nowadays, populations make extensive use of alternative medicine for their health problems. Bidens pilosa (B. pilosa) and Cymbopogon citratus (C. citratus) are used individually in the traditional treatment of cardiovascular disorders. This study assessed the effects of the mixture of these two plants aqueous extract on HBP in rats. Male rats (42) were divided into 7 groups of 6 rats each. Normotensive rats received only distilled water and formed group 1. The other animals received ethanol + salt preceded by distilled water (10 mL/kg; group 2) and spironolactone (10 mg/kg; group 3); the aqueous extracts of the mixture (100 and 200 mg/kg; groups 4 and 5) isolated plants B. pilosa (200 mg/kg; group 6) and C. citratus (200 mg/kg; group 7). Animals were treated for 7 weeks during which water consumption and urine volume were assessed; then, hemodynamic parameters were recorded, and rats were sacrificed. Serum and some organs (liver, kidney, heart, and aorta) were used to evaluate biochemical parameters. Ingestion of ethanol + salt leads to a significant increase in urinary volume and water intake that were significantly prevented by the extracts from the mixture and isolated plants. Ethanol + salt solution significantly increased the blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-chol), atherogenic indices, liver and kidney function parameters, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-chol), albumin, reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were significantly reduced. The extracts of the mixture and isolated plants significantly prevented all these variations with a more pronounced action for the lowest dose of the mixture on the lipid profile, oxidative stress, and kidney function. These observations confirm the beneficial effects of B. pilosa and C. citratus to manage hypertension.

Figure 1

Effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on urine volume. Each point represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). TN, rats receiving distilled water (10 mL/kg); BC 100 and BC 200, rats receiving the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus at the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg; FURO 10, rats receiving furosemide at the dose of 10 mg/kg; B 200, rats receiving B. pilosa aqueous extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg; C 200, rats receiving C. citratus aqueous extract at the dose of 200 mg/kg; ¹p < 0.05, significant difference compared to the rats receiving distilled water.

Figure 2

Effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on water intake and urinary excretion volume. Each bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). DW, normal rats receiving only distilled water (10 mL/kg); DW + Al-salt, rats receiving distilled water and the inducer (alcohol + salt solution) simultaneously; BC 100+Al-salt and BC 200+Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, and the inducer simultaneously; SPIRO + Al-salt, rats receiving concomitantly spironolactone at a dose of 10 mg/kg and the inducer; B 200+Al-salt, rats receiving concomitantly B. pilosa aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer; C 200+Al-salt: rats receiving C. citratus aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; ²p < 0.01; ³p < 0.001, significant difference compared to normal rats receiving only distilled, ^bp < 0.01; ^cp < 0.001, significant difference compared to rats receiving distilled water and the inducer.

Figure 3

Effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on blood pressure (a) and heart rate (b). Each bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). SBP, systolic blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; MBP, mean blood pressure; DW, normal rats receiving only distilled water (10 mL/kg); DW + Al-salt, rats receiving distilled water (10 mL/kg) and the inducer (alcohol + salt solution) concomitantly; BC 100+Al-salt and BC 200+Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of B. pilosa and C. citratus mixture at 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively, and the inducer concomitantly; SPIRO + Al-salt, rats receiving spironolactone (10 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; B 200+Al-salt, rats receiving B. pilosa aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; C 200+Al-salt, rats receiving C. citratus extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer; ³p < 0.001, significant difference compared to normotensive rats receiving only distilled water; ^ap < 0.05; ^bp < 0.05; ^cp < 0.001, significant difference compared to rats given distilled water and the inducer.

Figure 4

Effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on the level of GSH, catalase, and SOD activity, on the concentration of MDA and on the level of nitrites. Each bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). DW, normal rats receiving only distilled water (10 mL/kg); DW + Al-salt, rats receiving distilled water (10 mL/kg) and the inducer (alcohol + salt solution) simultaneously; BC 100+Al-salt and BC 200+Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus, respectively, at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and the inducer simultaneously; SPIRO + Al-salt, rats receiving spironolactone (10 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; B 200+Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of B. pilosa (200 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; C 200 + Al-salt, rats receiving concurrent the aqueous extract of C. citratus (200 mg/kg) and the inducer. ¹p < 0.05; ²p < 0.01; ³p < 0.001, significant difference compared to normal rats treated with only distilled water; ^ap < 0.05; ^bp < 0.01; ^cp < 0.001, significant difference compared to rats receiving distilled water and the inducer.

Figure 5

Effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on tissue protein levels. Each bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). DW, normal rats receiving only distilled water (10 mL/kg); DW + Al-salt, rats receiving distilled water (10 mL/kg) and the inducer (alcohol + salt solution) simultaneously; BC 100+Al-salt and BC 200+Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus, respectively, at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and the inducer simultaneously; SPIRO + Al-salt, rats receiving spironolactone (10 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; B 200+Al-salt, rats receiving B. pilosa aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; C 200 + Al-salt, rats receiving C. citratus aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer simultaneously; ¹p < 0.05; ³p < 0.001, significant difference compared to normal rats treated with distilled water only; ^ap < 0.05; ^cp < 0.001, significant difference compared to rats receiving distilled water and the inducer solution.

Figure 6

Preventive effects of the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus on histomorphometry (a) of the aorta and the microarchitecture (b) of the kidney (200X, HE) and aorta (100X, HE). Each bar represents the mean ± SEM (n = 6). DW, normal rats receiving only distilled water (10 mL/kg); DW + Al-salt, rats receiving distilled water (10 mL/kg) and the inducer (alcohol + salt solution) simultaneously; BC 100 + Al-salt and BC 200 + Al-salt, rats receiving the aqueous extract of the mixture of B. pilosa and C. citratus, respectively, at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and the inducer simultaneously; SPIRO + Al-salt, rats receiving concomitantly spironolactone at a dose of 10 mg/kg and the inducer; B 200 + Al-salt, rats receiving concomitantly B. pilosa aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer; C 200+Al-salt, rats receiving concurrent C. citratus aqueous extract (200 mg/kg) and the inducer. Kidney: G, glomerulus; Li, leukocyte infiltration; Us, urinary space; Me, mesangial expansion. Aorta: A, adventitia; M, media; I, intima.