Diuretic and antihypertensive activity of the aqueous extract of Haematostaphis barteri stem bark in adrenaline-induced hypertensive Wistar Rats

Decoctions of the stem bark of the medicinal plant Haematostaphis barteri are used in African traditional medicine to treat hypertension. We assessed the diuretic and antihypertensive activities of H. barteri stem bark in Wistar rats. Changes on urine volume and electrolyte elimination induced by acute and subacute treatment of Wistar rats with aqueous extract of the stem bark of H. barteri (150, 200 and 250 mg/kg, per os). Then, the effects of a week of daily treatments with the extract on indicators of disease progression were assessed in adrenaline-induced hypertensive rats. In a dose-dependent fashion, the extract significantly reduced the urination latency (from 60±2.5 sec in vehicle group to 30±3 sec with dose 250 mg/kg), and increased the urine and electrolyte elimination (more than 2-fold, (P<0.01), in both acute and subacute administrations, as furosemide and AHCT. In addition, with stronger activity than propranolol, the extract mitigated the increases in pulse rate (50%), blood urea (90%), LDL, VLDL, and total cholesterol (up to 59%), and decreases in blood triglycerides and HDL (56%). Altogether, our findings suggest that the aqueous extract of H. barteri stem bark has diuretic (acute and subacute) and antihypertensive properties, and support the traditional use for the treatment of hypertension.