Anti-hypertensive effects of Brazilian propolis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Yoko Kubota,* Keizo Umegaki,† Kyoko Kobayashi,* Naoko Tanaka,* Satomi Kagota,* Kazuki Nakamura,* Masaru Kunitomo* and Kazumasa Shinozuka*
Institutions
*Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mukogawa Women’s University, Nishinomiya and †National Institute of Health & Nutrition, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
1. Changes in the cardiovascular parameters of Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were examined following a 4-week diet of either Brazilian propolis or Eucommia uloides OLIVER (tochu). 2. A 4-week diet of propolis or tochu resulted in significant reductions in systolic blood pressure in SHR but had no effect on WKY. Experiments using aorta isolated from animals fed a diet of propolis or tochu revealed increased acetylcholine-induced relaxation in SHR and no change in acetylcholine-induced relaxation in WKY. Sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation was unaffected by propolis or tochu in both animal groups. 3. These results suggest that propolis and tochu produce an antihypertensive effect that may be mediated by potentiation of acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation.
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.