Abstract

Background:
Preeclampsia (PE) syndrome remains a leading cause of maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide. Several studies have shown that PE is characterized by hypertensive disorders, which affect 5%–10% of pregnancies. Despite the high mortality rate, there are currently limited alternative treatments for PE.

Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) and nifedipine, at both single and combination doses, in Wistar rats with PE.

Methods:
Animals were induced using Nω-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester Hydrochloride (L-NAME) for 5 days. Nifedipine (0.54 mg/kg body weight) and butterfly pea flower extract (300 mg/kg) were administered for 14 days. On days 0, 5, 12, and 19 of pregnancy, the rats were examined for blood pressure and albuminuria levels, followed by sacrifice on day 19. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), malondialdehyde (MDA), cysteine-aspartic proteases–3 (caspase-3), blood pressure, albuminuria, and spiral artery histology were examined. ANOVA was used to identify differences between groups, followed by a post hoc test to pinpoint the variables that differed the most significantly.

Results:
The combination of butterfly pea flower extract and nifedipine significantly reduced IL-6, MDA, caspase-3, blood pressure, and albuminuria; however, placental histological analysis revealed no significant differences in SAD.

Conclusion:
Based on these findings, the administration of butterfly pea flower ethanol extract can serve as a complementary therapy to improve the prognosis of PE.

Key words: Ethanol extract of butterfly pea flower; Nifedipine; Preeclampsia; Rat model; L-NAME.