Effect of chrysin endothelial vasodilation on L-NAME induced hypertensive rats

Abstract

Hypertension is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and stroke and it is one of leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide. The present study was aimed to investigate the antihypertensive and vasodilation properties of chrysin, a naturally occurring flavone, in hypertensive rats. Hypertension was induced using N^ω-nitro-l arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 40 mg/kg BWT/day for 4 weeks) in adult rats and chrysin (25 mg/kg BWT/day) or vehicle was administered for 4 weeks. A siginificant increase of blood pressure and serum fibrinogen along with a significant reduction of bilirubin level were observed in hypertensive rats and these changes were significantly attenuated upon administration of crysin. Further, L-NAME induced increase of tissue levels of mRNAs of β-MHC and TGF-β (in heart) as well as eNOS (in aorta, heart, kidney) were significantly reduced in chrysin treated rats. These results suggest that chrysin has a potential to attenuate impairment of organs (heart and renal) and endothelial function caused by L-NAME induced hypertension.