Life Science College of Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 May 7;141(1):309-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.02.036. Epub 2012 Feb 28.
The leaves of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (Taxaceae) is used traditionally to fill pillows in some rural areas of China. Its volatile substances have been speculated to be capable of improving sleep quality, making blood pressure stable, and having diuretic capacity as recorded in Ancient Chinese Materia Medica. Using animal models and new technologies, we confirmed the hypotensive potential of volatile components from leaves of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (VCLT).
VCLT was obtained by supercritical CO(2) extraction equipment from Taxus chinensis var. mairei fresh leaves. Hypertensive rats were pre-induced by intraperitoneal (i,p.) injection of Nω-Nitro-l-Ariginine (l-NNA) for 15 days (15mg/kg, twice a day), then divided into 5 groups and subjected to the following treatments. l-NNA group (group 1) receiving l-NNA alone (15mg/kg, i.p., twice per day for 6 weeks); in addition to receiving l-NNA same as group 1, Hydrochlorothiazide (HDZ) group (group 2) receiving HDZ (orally administration, 5mg/kg, once per day for 6 weeks); VCLT groups (groups 3-5), including VCLT1, VCLT2, VCLT3. The VCLT rats were housed in an enclosed cage (2 rats/0.064m(3)). VCLT was mixed well and sprayed on fresh leaves surface of Taxus chinensis var. mairei (100ml/kg) with three dosages: 167g/kg (VCLT1), 233g/kg (VCLT2) and 333g/kg (VCLT3), respectively. Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), plasma nitric oxide (NO), plasma angiotensin II, postprandial blood glucose, fasting blood glucose and blood lipids were determined.
VCLT prevented the increase of SBP and plasma angiotensin II in l-NNA treated rats. Although VCLT does not significantly reduce blood triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), it decreases total cholesterol (TC) while increasing plasma NO levels in a dose-dependent manner.
VCLT can be used as a natural and supplementary reagents for the treatment of hypertension.
中国一些农村地区的传统做法是将南方红豆杉（红豆杉科）的叶子填充在枕头中。古籍中记载，南方红豆杉的挥发性物质具有改善睡眠质量、稳定血压和利尿的能力。本研究采用动物模型和新技术，证实了南方红豆杉叶挥发物（VCLT）的降压潜力。
采用超临界 CO2 萃取设备从南方红豆杉新鲜叶片中提取 VCLT。通过腹腔注射 Nω-硝基-L-精氨酸（l-NNA）诱导高血压大鼠 15 天（15mg/kg，每天 2 次），然后将其分为 5 组进行以下处理。l-NNA 组（第 1 组）单独给予 l-NNA（15mg/kg，腹腔注射，每天 2 次，共 6 周）；除给予与第 1 组相同的 l-NNA 外，氢氯噻嗪（HDZ）组（第 2 组）给予 HDZ（口服，5mg/kg，每天 1 次，共 6 周）；VCLT 组（第 3-5 组），包括 VCLT1、VCLT2、VCLT3。将 VCLT 大鼠饲养在封闭的笼子中（2 只/0.064m3）。将 VCLT 混合均匀，喷洒在南方红豆杉新鲜叶片表面（100ml/kg），剂量分别为 167g/kg（VCLT1）、233g/kg（VCLT2）和 333g/kg（VCLT3）。测定收缩压（SBP）、血浆一氧化氮（NO）、血浆血管紧张素 II、餐后血糖、空腹血糖和血脂。
VCLT 可预防 l-NNA 处理大鼠 SBP 和血浆血管紧张素 II 的升高。尽管 VCLT 对降低血三酰甘油（TG）、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）作用不显著，但可降低总胆固醇（TC），同时呈剂量依赖性增加血浆 NO 水平。
VCLT 可作为天然降压补充剂用于高血压的治疗。
