Role of Camellia brevistyla (Hayata) Coh. Stuart Seed Pomace Extract on Hypertension and Vascular Function in L-NAME-Treated Mice.

Camellia brevistyla (Hayata) Coh. Stuart seeds are used to produce edible oil. The seed pomace is an agricultural waste, containing approximately 8% saponin, which has antihypertensive effects. Nω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) can induce hypertension with no deficiency on mice. Here, we investigated the effects of ethanol extract from C. brevistyla seed pomace (CBPE) in L-NAME-induced hypertension mice. The results showed that all doses of CBPE significantly decreased systolic (117 ± 5-122 ± 5 mmHg) and diastolic (72 ± 16-77 ± 8 mmHg) blood pressure, aortic intima media thickness (48 ± 5-53 ± 5 µm), and also reduced the MDA adduct and protein carbonyl levels in the liver (101 ± 19-114 ± 17 ρmol/mL and 4.8 - 5.2 nmol/mg) compared to those observed in the L-NAME group (140 ± 3 and 95 ± 8 mmHg, 65 ± 10 µm, 145 ± 25 ρmol/mL, and 7.8 nmol/mg; P < 0.05). These results suggest that CBPE has profitable antihypertensive properties which are preventing aorta remodeling and reducing liver oxidative stress in hypertensive mice.