Cardiovascular effects induced by α‐terpineol in hypertensive rats

ABSTRACT The antihypertensive and antioxidant effects of α‐terpineol on hypertensive rats were evaluated in this study. Hypertension was induced in male Wistar rats by oral administration of the N G ‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) 50 mg/kg body weight/day) in drinking water for 1 week. Rats with mean arterial pressure > 140 mmHg were considered hypertensive. In order to evaluate the α‐terpineol effect on haemodynamic parameters, rats were treated once a day with different doses of α‐terpineol (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for one week. After this time, blood samples were collected and activities of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Furthermore, the vasorelaxant effect of α‐terpineol was also assessed in mesenteric artery rings. Oral administration of α‐terpineol was able to reduce mean arterial pressure in up to 38.15 ± 8.7 mmHg. In mesenteric artery rings, α‐terpineol (10 −9 –10 −2 M) induced vascular endothelium independent vasodilatation. In addition, rats treated with α‐terpineol showed alterations in biochemical parameters indicating an antioxidant effect. Such results suggest that α‐terpineol is able to reduce arterial pressure, possibly due to a decrease of vascular resistance, and restore enzymatic antioxidants in L‐NAME‐induced hypertensive rats. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.