Abstract

GARCIA-GONZALEZ, Mildred. Acción vaso-periférica del extracto acuoso de las hojas de Clusia coclensis (Clusiaceae). Rev. biol. trop [online]. 1998, vol.46, n.3, pp.575-578. ISSN 0034-7744.

Aqueous leaf extract of Clusia coclensis was applied at a dose of 40 mg/kg intravenously to isolated posterior extremities of six normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats and six Spontaneously Hipertensive rats anaesthetized with sodium nembutal. The perfusion was done in the abdominal artery using as carrier Krebs bicarbonate ringer at 37 °C and keeping constant perfusion pressures of 100 mmHg in normotensive rats and 150 mmHg in hipertensive ratas. The venous return was measured in the inferior vena cava. The extract induced a significant reduction of the venous return begining 2 min after application, in both rat types. This may reflect a peripheral vasoconstriction that, in whole organism,would have an hipertensive effect. Therefore, the mechanism of the alledgedly systemic hipotensive effect of the aqueous extract of Clusia coclensis leafs resides probably at a central level, probably acting by a reduction of the contractibility of the myocardium.

Keywords : Clusia coclensis; Guttiferae; cardiovascular effects; traditional medicine; herbal medicine; hypertension; leg perfusion.