Mechanisms of the blood pressure lowering effect of the calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa in rats.

The antihypertensive effect of aqueous extracts of the calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) has been investigated in anaesthetized rats. Hibiscus sabdariffa caused a dose-dependent decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) of the rats. Sectioning of the right and left vagi nerves did not have a significant effect on the fall in MAP produced by HS. Cholinergic blockade with 0.2 mgkg-1 atropine and histaminergic blockade with 1 mgkg-1 cimetidine and 15 mgkg-1 promethazine significantly attenuated the hypotensive response to HS. Pretreatment of the rats with 20 mgkg-1 HS extract did not have a significant effect on increase in blood pressure induced by bilateral carotid occlusion (48.05 +/- 6.83 mmHg vs 46.53 +/- 7.49 mmHg). The cumulative addition of HS to noradrenaline precontracted aortic rings produced dose-dependent relaxation of the rings. The maximum relaxation response was 86.96 +/- 5.20% and this was observed at the dose of 1.70 mgml-1. These findings suggest that the antihypertensive effect of the extracts of calyx of HS is not mediated through inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system but it could be mediated through acetylcholine-like and histamine-like mechanisms as well as via direct vaso-relaxant effects.