Epimedii Herba is one of the popular drug to treat impotence, arthralgia and climacteric hypertension in oriental medical clinic that has the effects of tonifying the kidney, strengthening yang, dispelling wind and eliminating dampness. In this study, I observed the antihypertensive effects of the water extracts from the above-ground part of Epimedium coreanum NAKAI.
In p.o. administration to conscious restrained SHRs, measurement of blood pressure by tail-cuff method indicated that 7.5 g/㎏ of the extract has lowered the blood pressure. The percent change of maximal hypotenisive effect was 6.1% at 2 hrs after oral adminstration. To study on the antihypertensive mechanism of this extract, we observed about the effect on the autonomic nervous system, the direct vascular delating effect, and the inhibitory effects on the ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) activity. There was no effects on the ANS and direct vascular delating effects on the isolated aorta of rabbit after contraction induced by phenylephrine(2.0 ㎍/㎖). But, 1×10-1 g/㎖ of this extract has inhibited 61.6% of ACE activity in vitro.
According to above results, I concluded that there is a little antihypertensive effects in Epimedii Herba water extracts and this effects may acts through the inhibitory effect on ACE activity.
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