Pharmacological and Toxicological Study of a Traditional Mayan Herbal Preparation Used as Antihypertensive Agent

Aims: To evaluate preparation herbal mixed of Pouteria campechiana, Chrysophyllum cainito, Citrus limonum and Annona muricata (PCCA) on vasorelaxant and hypotensive effect on rat model and toxicological data after acute oral administration to give scientific support to the use ethnomedical and to explore their potential damaging on oral intake.

Study Design: Experimental.

Place and Duration of Study: Sample female and male Wistar rats. Pharmacology laboratory of Chemistry School and Department of Clinical and Epidemiological Research of Medicine School, Autonomous University of Yucatán. Between October 2014 and July 2016.

Methodology: An ethanolic extract of PCCA was prepared at a ratio of 1:1:1:1 of each plant plus individual extracts were prepared. Vasorelaxant effect was assessed (3.03 to 100 μg/mL), hypotensive effect ((100, 200, 300 mg/Kg) and median lethal dose (LD50) by oral acute toxicity method (OECD 423 guide).

Results: PCCA extract induced a significant vasorelaxation (medium effective concentration (EC50)=463.43 μg/mL) in a concentration-dependent manner in aorta’s endothelium-intact rings and this effect was partially endothelium-dependent. Acute oral administration of 200 and 300 mg/kg of PCCA exhibited significant decrease in systolic blood pressure in normotensive rats. PCCA did not show clinical toxicity of acute oral administration. Only 2000 mg/kg show histopathological inflammatory responses on gut and liver.

Conclusion: PCCA induces a significant cardiovascular effect and was not toxic for rodents. The results support the popular use of some Mayan Medicinal plants as antihypertensive agents; however, clinical studies are necessary.