Antihypertensive effect of Glechoma hederacea extract in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Abstract

We investigated the antihypertensive effect of Glechoma hederacea subsp. grandis extract on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Rat systolic blood pressure was measured by tail cuff method. SHR fed a Glechoma extract diet showed significantly (p<0.05) lower blood pressure compared with a control group for 14-28 days. The Glechoma extract contained a large amount of potassium, and SHR in the Glechoma extract diet group showed a higher sodium excretion rate. It was assumed that lowered blood pressure was due to the high potassium concentration in the Glechoma extract, which stimulated the excretion of sodium.