The antihypertensive effect of the coadministration of exercise and eugenol in deoxycorticosterone acetate-induced hypertension in rats.

Hypertension (HTN) is a significant health issue with high morbidity, especially in the cardiovascular system, leading to mortality. HTN could be treated with exercise (Ex) and eugenol due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic activities. 48 male Wistar rats (n = 8) were assigned to normal, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA), losartan + DOCA, Ex + DOCA, eugenol + DOCA, and Ex + eugenol + DOCA groups. Blood pressure (BP), echocardiography, serum electrolytes, lipid profile, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), interleukin- 6 (IL- 6), endocan, endothelin- 1 (ET- 1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), plasma renin activity (PRA), and serum aldosterone were measured. PCR analyzed p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and collagen 1 expression. Histopathology was used to evaluate heart and kidney tissues. Cardiac apoptosis was assessed using TUNEL staining. Losartan, aerobic Ex (30 min/day, 5 days/week), combined eugenol and Ex, and eugenol therapy mitigated systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV), serum sodium, IL- 6, endocan, ET- 1, TGF-β1, PRA, and serum aldosterone. These therapies attenuated histopathological changes, cardiac apoptosis, p38MAPK, JNK, and collagen 1. Conversely, ejection fraction (EF), serum potassium, and TAC levels were elevated compared to the DOCA group. Ex and eugenol monotherapy ameliorated DOCA-induced HTN in rats. Ex + eugenol combination showed equal efficacy to losartan in ameliorating DOCA-induced HTN, with better efficacy than Ex or eugenol alone. The combination's antihypertensive effect may result from the synergistic/additive antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic effects of either therapy.