Sains Malaysiana 47(10)(2018): 
                2421–2428
              http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2018-4710-18 
                
               
              Antihypertensive Effect of Piper sarmentosum 
                in L-NAME-Induced Hypertensive Rats 
              (Kesan Antihipertensi 
                Piper sarmentosum pada Tikus 
                Hipertensi Aruhan L-NAME) 
               
              NIK ALOESNISA NIK 
                MOHD 
                ALWI1,3, 
                ZAITON 
                ZAKARIA1, 
                AMINUDDIN 
                ABDUL 
                HAMID 
                KARIM2, 
                NOR ANITA 
                MEGAT 
                MOHD 
                NORDIN1 
                & AZIZAH UGUSMAN1*
               
              1Department of Physiology, Faculty 
                of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan 
                Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob 
                Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 
                Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia
               
              2Physiology 
                Unit, Universiti Pertahanan 
                Nasional Malaysia, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory, Malaysia
               
              3Basic 
                Science and Oral Biology Unit, School of Dental Sciences, Universiti 
                Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang 
                Kerian, Kelantan Darul 
                Naim, Malaysia
               
              Diserahkan: 25 
                Mac 2018/Diterima: 6 Jun 2018
               
              ABSTRACT 
              Hypertension is one 
                of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and has been associated 
                with about 13% of global deaths worldwide. Oxidative stress and 
                reduced nitric oxide (NO) 
                bioavailability contribute to the development of endothelial dysfunction 
                and subsequently hypertension. Nɷ-nitro-L-arginine 
                methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) inhibits NO 
                synthesis; leading to hypertension. Piper sarmentosum 
                (PS) is an herb with antioxidant, antiatherosclerosis 
                and antiinflammation properties. PS also 
                stimulated NO production by endothelial cells. The aim of this study 
                was to determine the effects of aqueous extract of Piper sarmentosum (AEPS) on blood pressure, oxidative 
                stress and the level of nitric oxide in L-NAME-induced 
                hypertensive rats. Hypertension was induced by oral administration 
                of L-NAME 
                (100 mg/L) in drinking water for four weeks. The 
                rats were concurrently treated with AEPS by oral gavage in serial doses (125, 
                250 and 500 mg/kg/day). Blood pressure was measured using non-invasive 
                tail-cuff method at baseline and fortnightly thereafter. Serum 
                level of NO 
                and an oxidative stress marker, malondialdehyde 
                (MDA) 
                were measured at baseline and at the end of treatment. The results 
                showed that treatment with three different doses of AEPS successfully reduced systolic 
                blood pressure (p<0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p<0.05) 
                and mean arterial pressure (p<0.05) in L-NAME-induced 
                hypertensive rats. Treatment with AEPS also reduced MDA 
                level (p<0.001) and increased serum NO 
                (p<0.001) in L-NAME-induced 
                hypertensive rats. The findings showed that AEPS decreased 
                blood pressure by protecting against oxidative stress and increasing 
                NO 
                in L-NAME-induced 
                hypertensive rats. 
               
              Keywords: Hypertension; 
                nitric oxide; Nɷ-nitro-L-arginine 
                methyl ester hydrochloride; oxidative stress; Piper 
                sarmentosum 
               
              ABSTRAK 
              Hipertensi merupakan salah 
                satu faktor 
                risiko penyakit kardiovaskular dan ia dikaitkan 
                dengan kira-kira 
                13% kematian di seluruh dunia. Stres oksidatif dan 
                pengurangan ketersediaan biologi nitrik oksida (NO) menyumbang 
                kepada terjadinya 
                disfungsi endotelium yang seterusnya menyebabkan hipertensi. Nɷ-nitro-L-arginina metil 
                ester hidroklorida (L-NAME) 
                merencat sintesis 
                NO 
                dan menyebabkan hipertensi. Piper sarmentosum (PS) 
                adalah herba yang mempunyai sifat antioksidan, antiaterosklerosis 
                dan antiinflamasi. PS juga merangsang pengeluaran NO oleh 
                sel endotelium. 
                Tujuan kajian ini 
                adalah untuk 
                menentukan kesan ekstrak akueus Piper sarmentosum (AEPS) 
                terhadap tekanan 
                darah, stres oksidatif 
                dan aras 
                nitrik oksida 
                dalam tikus hipertensi 
                aruhan L-NAME. Hipertensi diaruh 
                dengan pemberian 
                L-NAME 
                (100 mg/L) secara oral 
                di dalam air minuman selama empat minggu. 
                Dalam masa yang sama, 
                rawatan tikus 
                dengan AEPS turut 
                diberi serentak melalui gavaj oral dalam dos bersiri (125, 250 dan 500 mg/kg/hari). Tekanan darah diukur 
                menggunakan kaedah kuf ekor tidak 
                invasif sebelum 
                rawatan dimulakan dan setiap dua 
                minggu selepas 
                itu. Aras serum NO dan penanda stres 
                oksidatif, malondialdehida 
                (MDA) 
                diukur sebelum 
                uji kaji dimulakan 
                dan selepas 
                rawatan tamat. Keputusan menunjukkan rawatan dengan tiga dos AEPS yang 
                berbeza berjaya 
                menurunkan tekanan darah sistolik (p<0.001), tekanan 
                darah diastolik 
                (p<0.05) dan tekanan arteri purata (p<0.05) 
                dalam tikus hipertensi 
                aruhan L-NAME. AEPS juga 
                menurunkan aras 
                MDA 
                (p<0.01) dan 
                meningkatkan aras NO (p<0.001) 
                dalam serum tikus 
                hipertensi aruhan L-NAME. 
                Keputusan yang diperoleh 
                menunjukkan bahawa AEPS 
                berupaya menurunkan 
                tekanan darah 
                dengan mengurangkan stres oksidatif dan meningkatkan aras NO pada 
                tikus hipertensi 
                aruhan L-NAME. 
               
              Kata kunci: Hipertensi; 
                nitrik oksida; 
                Nɷ-nitro-L-arginina 
                metil ester hidroklorida; Piper sarmentosum; stres oksidatif
               
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              *Pengarang 
                untuk surat-menyurat; 
                email: dr.azizah@ppukm.ukm.edu.my