Bioactive Compounds from Cuphea glutinosa Cham. & Schltdl.: Promising Effects on Antihypertensive Action

Abstract

Abstract Cuphea glutinosa Cham. & Schltdl. (Lythraceae) is popularly used as antimicrobial, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive. This species features a great diversity of flavonoids, predominantly quercetin glycosides. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, and acute antihypertensive effect in vivo from C. glutinosa leaf extracts on N(G)-nitro-L-Arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) induced hypertensive rats. The leaf extraction was conducted by exhaustive maceration and infusion. The chromatographic analyses were performed by ultra-fast liquid chromatography and photodiode array detection (UFLC-PDA). The assessment of antihypertensive activity in vivo was performed through the monitoring of the hemodynamic parameters. C. glutinosa shows a predominance of quercetin glycosides, majority the miquelianin. The extracts displayed an antihypertensive effect in rats in doses of 2.5 to 50 mg/kg. These results suggest that the C. glutinosa extracts present antihypertensive potential by the presence of flavonoids and interactions among the phytoconstituents. This research demonstrates that the extracts of C. glutinosa are flavonoid-rich and ratify the folk medicine usage of C. glutinosa as hypotensive and antihypertensive agents, in order to contribute to evidence-based traditional medicines.

Keywords

• Cuphea glutinosa
• UFLC-PDA
• miquelianin
• hemodynamic parameters
• antihypertensive action