Cucumber ( L.) Fruit and Combination with Losartan Attenuate the Elevation of Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Rats Induced by Angiotensin II

Objectives: L. () is vegetable commonly used for managing blood pressure and often consumed in combination with standard antihypertensive therapy, despite lack of scientific evidence supporting their use. Combination of herbs and standard medication could have positive or negative effects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the antihypertensive activity of and the combined effect with losartan in the hypertensive rat model induced by angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a component of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that, upon binding to its receptor, constricts blood vessels leading to elevation of blood pressure.

Methods: In an antihypertensive study, rats received orally at doses of 9, 18, 27, and 36 mg/kg (full dose); while in a combination study, animals received losartan 2.25 mg/kg combined by either with 9 or 18 mg/kg. The standards group received losartan 2.25 mg/kg or 4.5 mg/kg (full dose).

Results: Blood pressure was measured using the tail-cuff method. significantly attenuated angiotensin II-induced hypertension as observed in groups receiving at 9, 18, 27, and 36 mg/kg at 30 minutes after induction showed the average change (Δ) of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with respect to time zero were 28.8/18.3, 24.8/15.8, 22.8/15.5, and 11.5/9.0 mmHg, respectively. Whereas the average change (Δ) of SBP and DBP in the rats receiving the combination of half doses of and losartan were 8.8/9.0 mmHg, respectively. These diminished effects were better than a full dose of and comparable with a full dose of losartan (6.5/7.8 mmHg).

Conclusion: The present findings indicate that dose-dependently blocks blood pressure elevation induced by angiotensin II. The combination of half dose of and losartan has an additive effect in lowering blood pressure.