In angiotensin dependent hypertension, high blood pressure and elevated angiotensin 2 levels lead to inflammation by increasing the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Since Myrtus communis have showed anti-inflammatory acvtivity in ethnobotanical researches and experimental studies, we investigated the effect of Myrtus communis extract against inflammation in a rat model of angiotensin dependent hypertension. Wistar albino rats were divided as sham-operated control, RVH and Myrtus communis extract-treated RVH groups. Left renal arteries of the rats were implanted with silver clip. Indirect blood pressure measurement of rats was provided with tail-cuff method before the surgery, 3 and 9 weeks after the surgery. Myrtus communis extract (100 mg/kg, orally) or vehicle was administered for 6 weeks. At the end of the study, serum samples were collected to investigate tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-6 levels. RVH resulted in significant increases in these proinflammatory cytokine levels. In the Myrtus communis extract treatment group, this increasement was abolished. The present data demonstrated that Myrtus communis attenuates RVH-induced inflammation.
Key words: Renovascular hypertension, angiotensin 2, inflammation, cytokines, Myrtus communis
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