Flavonoids and hypertension

M. GALLEANO; M. C. LITERIO; C. TAIRA; G. SAGDICOGLU CELEP; G. JAGGERS; Y. OMATA; C. G. FRAGA

Buenos Aires

Workshop; Workshop Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants; 2009

Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica, UBA-CONICET

Flavonoids and antihypertension Galleano Ma, Litterio MCa, Taira CAa, Sagdicoglu Celep Gb, Jaggers Gc, Omata Yc, Fraga CGa. aUniversity of Buenos Aires-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina, bGazi University, Ankara, Turkey, cUniversity of California, Davis, USA. A variety of antihypertensive strategies are commonly used to reduce blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive people, but lifestyle, including diet, is a relevant strategy to maintain BP levels. Fruits and vegetables have demonstrated to provide protection for hypertension (HT), and several flavonoids purified from them are being studied as antihypertensive agents. The effect of (-)-epicatechin (EC) was studied in an experimental model of HT induced by L-NAME (Nw-nitro-L-Arginine methyl ester) administration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated simultaneously with L-NAME (360 mg/ml) in the drinking water and EC in the diet (0.2-4 mg/g diet) during 4 days. EC administration prevented the increase in BP associated to L-NAME treatment in a dose dependent manner. This effect was associated with a decrease in oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde, oxidized glutathione and plasma protein NO2-tyrosine) and an increase in plasma NO. We hypothesize that the lowering effect of EC on BP should be mediated by the regulation of NO steady state. EC would decrease oxidant production allowing the maintenance of an appropriate NO bioavailability in endothelial cells. Supported by UBA (B801 and 802) and ANPCyT (00994).