RESUMO
The leaves of Vaccinium arctostaphylos [Qare qat] is advocated for the treatment of hypertension in Iran' folk medicine. The objective of wars to examine the possible hypotensive activity of aqueous extract of Vaccinium arctostaphylos leaves in rat model of two-clip hypertension. Rats were subjected to sham operation of the placement of Plexiglass clip on left renal arteries. Four weeks later, renal artery clipped rats were given intravenous injection of normal saline or the extract at 10, 25, or 75 mg/kg, and mean blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and 20, 40 and 60 minutes after vehicle or drug administration. Compared to sham group, renal artery clipped groups had a significantly higher mean blood pressure, heart and right kidney weights, lower left kidney weight and significantly indifferent heart rate. Compared to vehicle treatment, the extract at 75 mg/kg, but not at 10 or 25 mg/kg, did reduce the mean blood pressure at 20, 40 and 60 minutes after administration without changing the heart rate. The findings showed that at a higher dose the extract did have hypotensive activity without changing the heart rate. The exact hypotensive mechanism remains to be investigated
RESUMO
Open heart surgery is associated with acute perioperative changes in plasma levels of neurohormonal stress factors, cortisol, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein. Human studies involving cardiopulmonary bypass have shown that very low doses of ketamine can attenuate the markers of inflammation without adverse effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether, low dose infusion of ketamine when administered during 48 hours after induction, have anti-inflammatory effect and attenuate stress factors, in on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this prospective randomized-controlled trial, 50 patients undergoing on-pump coronary artery bypass graft were randomly assigned to receive either 1.25mcg/kg/min of ketamine [Ketamine group, n=25] or normal saline [Control group, n=25] infusion during and for 48 hours after surgery. Inflammatory and stress response markers including C-reactive protein, cortisol, White blood cell count and differential, glucose and lactate level were measured ,before induction [T1], 4 hours after surgery [T2], and on the first and the second days after surgery [T3 and T4]. The level of lactate were higher in ketamine compared with control group four hours after operation [P< 0.05] without any significant differences detected in other measurements. Low dose ketamine did not cause any change in C-reactive protein, cortisol, White blood cell count and glucose level, however lactate level was higher compared to control group
RESUMO
The berries of a number of Vaccinium species do reduce blood pressure. The berries Vaccinium arctostaphylus, the species native to Iran have been advocated for the treatment of hypertension in the country's folk medicine. The objective was to examine the possible hypotensive activity of aqueous extract of Vaccinium arctostaphylus berries in rat model of two-kidney, one-clip hypertension. Rats were subjected to sham operation or the placement of plexiglass clips on left renal arteries. Four weeks later, renal artery clipped rats were given intravenous injection of normal saline or the extract at 10, 25, 75 or 100 mg/kg, and mean blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and 20, 40 and 60 minutes after drug administration. Compared to sham group, renal artery clipped groups had a significantly higher mean blood pressure, heart and right kidney weights, lower left kidney weights and significantly indifferent heart rate. Compared to vehicle treatment, the extract at 75 and 100 mg/kg, but not at 10 or 25 mg/kg, did significantly reduce mean blood pressure at 20, 40 and 60 minutes after administration without changing the heart rate. The findings showed, that in agreement with Iran's folk medicine, the aqueous extract of Vacinium arctostaphylus berries did lower blood pressure. The exact hypotensive mechanism remains to be investigated