Leila Safaeian
1* 
, Bahar Baniahmad
2, Zahra Esfandiari
3, Sayed Ali Alavi
41 Department of Research and Development, Vice Chancellery for Food and Drug, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
3 Department of Research and Development, Vice-Chancellery for Food and Drug, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
4 Hakiman Shargh Investigative Corporation, Isfahan Science and Technology Town, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Portulaca oleracea is used as a nutritional and medicinal plant. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of P. oleracea seeds in dexamethasone -induced hypertension in rats.Methods: For induction of hypertension, dexamethasone (30 μg/kg/d, subcutaneously) was administered for 14 days. Animals received P. oleracea extract as a pretreatment at various doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/d orally from 4 days before dexamethasone administration and during the test period. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate were measured using tail-cuff method. The weight of thymus gland was estimated as a marker of glucocorticoid activity.Results: Dexamethasone injection significantly increased SBP (P < 0.001) while decreased the body and thymus weights (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively). Oral administration of P. oleracea could not prevent rising in SBP and decreasing in thymus weight. It also increased heart rate in hypertensive rats at the dose of 400 mg/kg/d (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that hydroalcoholic extract of P. oleracea seeds aggregates hypertension in dexamethasone-induced hypertensive rats. Hence, it should be used with caution in hypertensive patients receiving glucocorticoids.