Naser Mahdavi1,2, Siyavash Joukar1,2, Hamid Najafipour2,3, Majid Asadi-Shekaari4. 1. a Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran . 2. b Department of Physiology and Pharmacology , School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran . 3. c Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran , and. 4. d Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Despite the beneficial effects of barberry (Berberis integerrima Berberidaceae) on decreasing systemic hypertension, its influence has not been investigated on pulmonary hypertension. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the effect of barberry fruit, on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine groups were arranged as follows: the control group, the monocrotaline (M) group, the barberry groups with doses of 50, 100, and 200 (mg/kg), the M plus barberry groups, and the M plus sildenafil group. Two weeks after a single injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg, s.c.), barberry water extracts or sildenafil (30 mg/kg/d) were gavaged daily for 2 weeks. At the end of the 4th week, hemodynamic, biochemical, and histopathological parameters were assessed. RESULTS: In comparison with the M group, barberry (200 mg/kg) or sildenafil significantly reduced the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (22.95 ± 1.78 mm Hg and 30.71 ± 1.64 mm Hg, versus 41.28 ± 1.5 mm Hg), right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) (0.39 ± 0.03 and 0.42 ± 0.02, versus 0.57 ± 0.02), and the medial wall thickness (MWT) (4.56 ± 0.15 µm and 5.97 ± 0.19 µm, versus 7.02 ± 0.43 µm). Barberry or sildenafil had no significant effect on the plasma level of endothelin-1, glutathione peroxidase, and the malondialdehide of lung. CONCLUSION: 200 mg/kg of barberry has an improving effect on the monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. This effect was stronger than that of the sildenafil's and may have been mediated through mechanisms other than the modulation of the endothelin-1 or redox system.
CONTEXT: Despite the beneficial effects of barberry (Berberis integerrima Berberidaceae) on decreasing systemic hypertension, its influence has not been investigated on pulmonary hypertension. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to examine the effect of barberry fruit, on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine groups were arranged as follows: the control group, the monocrotaline (M) group, the barberry groups with doses of 50, 100, and 200 (mg/kg), the M plus barberry groups, and the M plus sildenafil group. Two weeks after a single injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg, s.c.), barberrywater extracts or sildenafil (30 mg/kg/d) were gavaged daily for 2 weeks. At the end of the 4th week, hemodynamic, biochemical, and histopathological parameters were assessed. RESULTS: In comparison with the M group, barberry (200 mg/kg) or sildenafil significantly reduced the right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) (22.95 ± 1.78 mm Hg and 30.71 ± 1.64 mm Hg, versus 41.28 ± 1.5 mm Hg), right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) (0.39 ± 0.03 and 0.42 ± 0.02, versus 0.57 ± 0.02), and the medial wall thickness (MWT) (4.56 ± 0.15 µm and 5.97 ± 0.19 µm, versus 7.02 ± 0.43 µm). Barberry or sildenafil had no significant effect on the plasma level of endothelin-1, glutathione peroxidase, and the malondialdehide of lung. CONCLUSION: 200 mg/kg of barberry has an improving effect on the monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. This effect was stronger than that of the sildenafil's and may have been mediated through mechanisms other than the modulation of the endothelin-1 or redox system.