Effect of the crude extract of Vernonia polyanthes Less. on blood pressure and renal sodium excretion in unanesthetized rats

This study evaluated the effect of oral crude Vernonia polyanthes Less. hydroalcoholic extract administration (CHE, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg body wt., daily for 7 days) on arterial blood pressure and renal sodium excretion in conscious rats. CHE administration decreased arterial blood pressure dose-dependently followed by a significant rise in creatinine clearance and a fall in fractional post-proximal sodium excretion was compared to the control group. These results suggest that blood pressure decrease induced by the oral crude Vernonia hydroalcoholic extract may be blunted by reduction of the post-proximal renal sodium excretion. Thus, the present study shows that Vernonia extract is a potential vasodilatation agent in normotensive rats without any effects on renal tubule autoregulation mechanisms.