Stevioside effect on renal function of normal and hypertensive rats.

Physiological and pharmacological experiments have suggested that stevioside from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana acts as a typical systemic vasodilator. The effect of stevioside on renal function in both normal and with experimental renal hypertension rats (GII) was evaluated using clearance techniques. Stevioside provoked hypotension, diuresis and natriuresis in both the normal and hypertensive rats. Normal rats presented an increase in renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) constant following stevioside administration. The last effect is in part due to vasodilation of both the afferent and efferent arterioles. Moreover, stevioside infusion in hypertensive rats caused an increase in RPF and GFR. These data are consistent with impairment of a renal autoregulation mechanism in this experimental hypertensive model.