EFFECT OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF INNER SEED PADDLE OF WALNUT ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND PLASMA RENIN AND ALDOSTERONE

Elevated blood pressure is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke، heart failure، and coronary heart disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hydroalcholic extract of inner seed paddle of walnut on blood pressure of dogs. This study was conducted on six normal adult male dogs. Each dog received (IV) normal saline (as control) and hydroalcholic extract of inner seed paddle of walnut at doses of 5، 15 and 45 mg/kg with 10 min intervals، respectively. Invasive blood systolic and diastolic pressure، were measured simultaneously by a four- channel power-lab device while blood were collected at 15 minutes and 1، 3، and 4 hours after extract and drug administrations to measure plasma Na، K، Ca، aldosterone and renin of the dogs. Normal saline infusion had no effect on these parameters; however، blood pressure of the dogs reduced 15 minutes after extract administration. The increase of direct renin 15 min after extract administration led to drastic decrease of aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR). From the above results it is concluded that the present study seems to support the claims by traditional medicine about usefulness of inner seed paddle of walnut for blood pressure reduction. Further studies on hypertensive animals are warranted to clarify mechanisms involved in blood pressure reduction after extract of inner seed paddle of walnut administration.