ABSTRACT
Morinda morindoides (Backer) Milne-Redhead (Rubiaceae) is used by the people of west and central Africa for the treatment of diarrhea. The dichloromethane/ethanol extract of M. morindoides (Back) (ETDE) known to be used orally, will be in direct contact with the nobles organs. This study is conduced to see if this extract has effects on the body more precisely on blood pressure. ETDE injected intravenously (10.40 mg/kg b.w to 31.19 mg/kg b.w) provoked a decrease in the arterial blood pressure (hypotension) in a dose-dependent manner (ED50 = 7.08 mg/kg b.w). ETDE at 41.58 mg/kg b.w induce a maximum and irreversible hypotension which leads to the death of the animal. The effects induced by ETDE were inhibited in the presence of atropine at a concentration of 4.46 ×10-4 mg/kg b.w. Our observations, regarding the effects of ETDE on the high blood pressure initiated by adrenaline, showed that the hypertensive effects induced by adrenalin were totally inhibited by ETDE. ETDE induced a dose-dependent hypotension and reversible and his antihypertensive effect could militate for its use in the treatment of hypertension.