Open AccessHYPOTENSIVE ACTIVITY OF THYMOQUINONE IN NORMOTENSIVE RATS AND ITS RECEPTOR MECHANISMS
Author(s) -
Marwan Saad Azzubaidi,
Hussam Mizher,
Ahmed Ghazi Alattraqchi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
international journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences/international journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2656-0097
pISSN - 0975-1491
DOI - 10.22159/ijpps.2017v9i8.16923
Subject(s) - thymoquinone , propranolol , blood pressure , atropine , muscarinic acetylcholine receptor , pharmacology , medicine , receptor , heart rate , anesthesia , chemistry , endocrinology , biochemistry , antioxidant
Objective: The objectives of the current study were to confirm the blood pressure lowering effect of thymoquinone (TQ) and to investigate its mechanism through muscarinic and β-adrenergic receptors.Methods: Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was recorded using the non-invasive blood pressure tail-cuff technique. A dose-response relationship was obtained after using 3 TQ doses (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to 3 different groups (n =5) of adult rats under pentobarbital anesthesia. MAP was then measured for another 2 animal groups pretreated either with atropine (P-at) or propranolol (P-pro) followed by 10 mg/kg TQ.Results: TQ produced a significant dose-dependent blood pressure and heart rate lowering effect. TQ-induced MAP reduction was significantly less pronounced in P-at (12±2.8 mmHg) than non-pretreated group (29±3.2 mmHg) with P 0.05.Conclusion: This study confirms the dose-related hypotensive effect of TQ and provides an evidence for the traditional use of Nigella sativa for the treatment of hypertension. The mechanism of TQ-induced hypotension involves at least in part activation of vascular muscarinic receptors, but not β-adrenergic receptors.