EFFECT OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF TRIDAX PROCUMBENS ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE IN RATS.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4314/Keywords:
Tridax procumbens, Blood pressure, heart rate, acetylcholine, adrenalineAbstract
The Cardiovascular effects of aqueous extract from the leaf of Tridax procumbens were
investigated on anaesthetized Sprague-Dawley rat. The intravenous administration of 3, 6,
and 9mg/Kg of the aqueous extract caused significant decreases in the mean arterial blood
pressure in a dose-related manner; i.e. the extract caused greater decrease in the mean
arterial blood pressure at higher dose than at lower dose. Also, higher doses of the extract6mg/Kg and 9mg/Kg caused significant reductions in the heart rate while lower dose of the
extract- 3mg/Kg did not cause any significant change in the heart rate. The hypotensive and
the bradycardiac effects were immediate. The hypotensive effect of Tridax procumbens was
inhibited by the pretreatment of the animal with atropine sulfate (1mg/kg). These results
therefore seem to support the claim that the leaves of Tridax procumbens has hypotensive
effect and that the mechanism of its action is possibly through activation of muscarinic
cholinergic receptors.
