RESUMEN
CONTEXT: Earlier we reported cardioprotective, antihyperlipidemic, and in vitro antioxidant activity of flax lignan concentrate (FLC) obtained from the seeds of Linum usitatissimum L. (Linaceae). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of FLC in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt induced experimental renal hypertension in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hypertension was induced in uninephrectomized (UNTZD) male Wistar rats (230-280 g) by injecting DOCA (25 mg/kg, subcutaneously, twice weekly) and supplementing 1% NaCl in drinking water for 5 weeks. The rats were divided in six groups. Captopril (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and FLC (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered daily to the rats of groups III-VI, respectively, for 5 weeks. Various hemodynamic and biochemical parameters were investigated as well as histology of kidney and heart were carried out. RESULTS: In this study, the FLC (400 and 800 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.001) decreased the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure. It also significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.001) decreased elevated end diastolic pressure (EDP), dP/dt max and dP/dt min, organs weights (kidney and heart) and activities of hepatic, renal and cardiac marker enzymes in the serum. Furthermore, FLC (400 and 800 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.001) restored altered antioxidant status, serum electrolyte level, lipid profile values, and histological abnormalities. Captopril (30 mg/kg) showed maximum antihypertensive effect but low dose of FLC (200 mg/kg) was not enough to show the antihypertensive activity. CONCLUSION: FLC possessed antihypertensive effect via modulation of endogenous enzymes in DOCA-salt induced renal hypertension in rats.