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Acute Treatment with Lauric Acid Reduces Blood Pressure and Oxidative Stress in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Author(s) -
Alves Naiane Ferraz Bandeira,
Queiroz Thyago Moreira,
Almeida Travassos Rafael,
Magnani Marciane,
Andrade Braga Valdir
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1742-7843
pISSN - 1742-7835
DOI - 10.1111/bcpt.12700
Subject(s) - lauric acid , oxidative stress , blood pressure , medicine , pharmacology , chemistry , biochemistry , fatty acid
The effects of acute administration of lauric acid ( LA ), the most abundant medium‐chain fatty acid of coconut oil, on blood pressure, heart rate and oxidative stress were investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats ( SHR ). Intravenous doses of LA reduced blood pressure in a dose‐dependent fashion (1, 3, 4, 8 and 10 mg/kg) in both SHR and Wistar Kyoto rats. LA (10 −8 to 3 × 10 −3 M) induced vasorelaxation in isolated superior mesenteric artery rings of SHR in the presence (n = 7) or absence (n = 8) of functional endothelium [maximum effect ( ME ) = 104 ± 3 versus 103 ± 4%]. After exposure to KC l (60 mM ), LA also induced concentration‐dependent vasorelaxation (n = 7) compared to that under Phe‐induced contraction ( ME = 113.5 + 5.1 versus 104.5 + 4.0%). Furthermore, LA ‐induced vasorelaxation in vessels contracted with S(−)‐BayK8644 (200 nM ), a L‐type Ca 2+ channel agonist ( ME = 91.4 + 4.3 versus 104.5 + 4.0%, n = 7). Lastly, LA (10 −3 M) reduced NADPH ‐dependent superoxide accumulation in the heart (18 ± 1 versus 25 ± 1 MLU /min/μg protein, n = 4, p < 0.05) and kidney (82 ± 3 versus 99 ± 4 MLU /min/μg protein, n = 4, p < 0.05). Our data show that LA reduces blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive rats. In SHR , this effect might involve Ca +2 channels in the resistance vessels and by its capability of reducing oxidative stress in heart and kidneys.