Carvacrol reduces blood pressure, arterial responsiveness and increases expression of MAS receptors in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Eur J Pharmacol. 2022 Feb 15:917:174717. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174717. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

Abstract

Aim: To analyze the effect of the use of carvacrol in the cardiovascular system of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Methods: Methods: Twenty animals were allocated in four groups, one group control Wistar receiving only sorbitol, used as vehicle of administration of the carvacrol (Wistar-Vehicle), one control group SHR, also receive only sorbitol (SHR-Vehicle), a third, treated with losartan (SHR-Losartan/50 mg/kg), and the fourth, treated with carvacrol (SHR - Carvacrol/20 mg/kg). Sorbitol, losartan and carvacrol were administered by oral gavage daily for 30-day. Hemodynamic variables, vascular reactivity, biochemical parameters, and expression of Mas and AT1 receptors in kidney tissues were analyzed.

Results: SHR- Carvacrol group showed a maximal effect of inhibition of 56% in the curve of norepinephrine. The Emax of the curves with Ca2+ were smaller in the groups SHR-losartan (40.17%) and SHR-carvacrol (35.71%) when compared to the SHR-Vehicle. The carvacrol increased the expression of the MAS receptors in kidney tissue.

Conclusion: Thirty days of treatment with carvacrol showed an antihypertensive effect associated with less peripheral vascular resistance. Also, treatment with carvacrol increased the expression of MAS receptors in kidney tissue.

Keywords: Cardiovascular; Carvacrol; Hypertension.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antihypertensive Agents* / pharmacology
  • Arteries / drug effects
  • Arteries / metabolism
  • Blood Pressure* / drug effects
  • Cymenes* / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypertension / metabolism
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Kidney / drug effects
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Losartan / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Monoterpenes / pharmacology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred SHR*
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled* / metabolism

Substances

  • carvacrol
  • Cymenes
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Losartan
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Monoterpenes
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1