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8256416 
Journal Article 
Cymbopogon proximus extract decreases L-NAME-induced hypertension in rats 
El-Nezhawy, AOH; Maghrabi, IA; Mohamed, KM; Omar, HA 
2014 
Global Research Online 
27 
1 
66-69 
English 
Cymbopogon proximus (C. proximus) is a wild herb that is commonly used safely as an anti-spasmodic and diuretic agent and known as halfabar. In the current study, we aimed at exploring the potential antihypertensive effect of C. proximus on Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)-induced hypertensive rats. Hypertension was induced in rats by L-NAME (40 mg/kg) given orally once daily for 4 weeks. The antihypertensive activities of the total methanolic extract, n-hexane, chloroform and methanol fractions of C. proximus (50 and 100 mg/kg) were studied using a non-invasive Rat Tail-Cuff Blood Pressure System. The total methanolic extract or n-hexane fractions caused a dose-dependent decrease in the blood pressure of hypertensive rats. On the other hand, chloroform and methanol fractions did not show any significant effect on blood pressure. All the used extracts did not show any appreciable hypotensive effect on normotensive animals in the tested dose levels compared to animals administered vehicle only. Total methanolic extract and n-hexane fraction caused a transient decrease in blood pressure of about 8% at 100 mg/kg dose after 2 weeks of treatment. According to the results C. proximus extracts possess a valuable antihypertensive activity which supports further development of the extract as a potential therapeutically useful natural antihypertensive agent. 
Antihypertensive; Captopril; Cymbopogon proximus; Halfabar; L-NAME