Calcium-channel blockade-mediated blood pressure-lowering and vasorelaxant effects of Brassica oleracea.

BACKGROUND

Brassica oleracea L. (Brassicaceae), commonly known as cabbage, is usually used for dietary purposes and is also known for many medicinal uses, including blood pressure.

OBJECTIVES

The current research study aimed to authenticate the traditional claims of B. oleracea L. for hypertension on a scientific basis using in vivo and in vitro pharmacological techniques.

METHODS

Crude extract of B. oleracea L. was evaluated for its hypotensive and vasorelaxant effects in normotensive anesthetized wistar rats using an invasive blood pressure-measuring technique and isolated rat thoracic aorta, respectively.

RESULTS

Normotensive anaesthetized rats used in experiments showed a gradual decrease in blood pressure parameters and heart rate when treated with Bo.Cr (0.1-100 mg/kg) comparable to verapamil (0.01-30 mg/kg). Whereas, in isolated aortic tissue, Bo.Cr (0.01-3 mg/ml) exhibited complete relaxation on high K+ [80 mM] and phenylephrine (1 µM)-mediated contractions. Crude extract at doses of 0.3 and 1 mg/ml also showed a reduction in response to Ca2+ concentration-response curves.

CONCLUSION

Results indicate calcium channel-blocking activity, a possible cause of the blood pressure-lowering and vasodilator effects of B. oleracea.