ABSTRACT
Several studies suggested the involvement of hypertension in the gonadal dysfunction, however the exact mechanisms of action remained to be clarified. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of high salt diet-induced hypertension on the gonadal activity and the possible therapeutic effect of concurrent treatment with karkade, as natural antihypertensive plant and furosemide and losartan as hypertensive drugs in male adult albino rats. This was achieved by determining thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], triiodothyronine [T3], tetraiodothyronine [T4] and free testosterone in blood serum of different treatments. Feeding of high-salt diet for one and half months significantly increased the systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure as well as increased the levels of TSH, T3 and T4 and depressed level of free testosterone in comparison to control rats. Treatments with the antihypertensive drugs [furosemide and losartan] and karkade remarkably restored the normal blood pressure. Losartan treatment significantly regained the normal levels of TSH, T3, T4 and free testosterone. Combined treatment with either furosemide or karkade to hypertensive rats did not restore the normal levels of TSH, T3, T4 and free testosterone in comparison to control rats. In addition, individual treatment with furosemide and karkade to normotensive rats induced moderate decrease in the levels TSH, T3, T4 and free testosterone. The present study indicates that hypertension induced hormonal disorder and gonadal dysfunction. In addition, not all anti-hypertensive drugs are successful candidates for reversing gonadal dysfunction. The study conclude that although, the excessive use of natural antihypertensive remedy, karkade, can produce a beneficial effect on blood pressure, it might produce undesirable effect on the gonadal activity