Antihypertensive effect of Ethanolic Extract of Indian Carica papaya l. Root bark (caricaceae) in Renal Artery Occluded Hypertensive Rats.

Abstract

Ethanolic extract of Carica papayaL. root bark powder (Family: Caricaceae) was evaluated for its antihypertensive activity in renal artery occluded hypertensive rats. Male Wistar rats (180-200g) were pretreated with ethanolic extract of Carica papayaL. root barkfor 6 weeks. Hypertension was induced in animals by clamping the renal artery with renal bulldog clamp for 4 h. Ischemia of the kidneys causes elevation of blood pressure by activation of the renin-angiotensin system. Elevated blood pressure of the animals was significantly (P 0.001) decreased by the ethanolic extract of CaricapapayaL. Root bark at the dose levels of 25 , 50 and 100mg/kg, i.v .Also Captopril, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) at the dose of 1 mg/kg,i.v. resulted significant (P 0.001) reduction in the elevated blood pressure, in different time intervals. Among all the doses of extract, 100mg/kg was comparable and equipotent as that of the Captopril. The antihypertensive activity of ethanolic extract of Carica papayaL. root bark may be due to the action on rennin – angiotensin system.