INTRODUCTION:

Studies have reported adverse alterations of hematological, electrolytes and other biochemical parameters in hypertensive compared to normotensive subjects¹. Similar changes have also been reported in experimental organisms fed on high salt diets², and these changes have been found to be reversed by treatments.

In patients and experimental animals with arterial hypertension, the concentration of Ca²⁺ in body fluids and its handling by cellular proteins are disturbed. The potential role of such disturbances in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension has been extensively reported^3,4.

Sansevieria liberica (Family Agavaceae or Ruscaceae), is one of the bowstring hemp species⁵. It is grown as an ornamental plant⁶, and is widely distributed throughout the tropics. It has long rhizomes with long fibrous roots and a rapid rate of growth, and produces red or orange berry fruits. Its leaves are very rich in fibers, protein, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, biotin, and riboflavin^7,8,9. An aqueous extract of the rhizomes contained twenty nine known flavonoids (mainly 31.94% apigenin, 20.66% quercetin, 11.28% kaempferol, 5.99% naringenin, 5.83% epicatechin, 3.69% biochanin, 3.58% catechin, 2.72% diadzein, 2.20% ellagic acid, 2.04% butein), thirty nine known alkaloids (mainly 63.98% akuamidine, 33.63% voacangine and 1.26% echitamidine), tannic acid and sitosterol^10,11. The leaves and roots/rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica are used in traditional health care in Nigeria, for the management of abdominal pain, asthma, colic, convulsion, cough, debility, diarrhea, eczema, epilepsy, gonorrhea, hemorrhoid, hypertension, malnutrition, menorrhagia, paralysis, piles, pulmonary troubles, sexual weakness, vermifuges and wounds, as well as alleviating the effect snake bite^{7,12,13,14,15}. The anti-anemic, anticonvulsant, anti-diarrheal, anti-inflammatory and sedative activities of the leaves and roots have been investigated^12,16,17,18. The hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective activities of the rhizomes have also been investigated^10,11. The present study, reports the effect of aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on plasma marker enzymes and electrolyte profiles, plasma chemistry and hematological indices of normal and sub-chronic salt-loaded Wistar rats, with a view to highlighting its likely benefits to the hypertensive.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Preparation of plant extract

Samples of fresh whole Sansevieria liberica plants were procured from a horticultural garden by Air Force Gate, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, and another at the University of Port Harcourt’s Abuja campus, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. They were duly identified by Dr. Michael C. Dike of Taxonomy Unit, Department of Forestry and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria; and Mr. John Ibe, the Herbarium Manager of the Forestry Department, National Root Crops Research Institute, Umuahia, Nigeria. The rhizome was removed, clean of soil, oven dried at 55 °C and ground into powder. The resultant powder was soaked in hot, boiled distilled water for 12 h, after which the resultant mixture was filtered and the filtrate was stored in the refrigerator for subsequent use. A known volume of this extract was evaporated to dryness, and the weight of the residue used to determine the concentration of the filtrate, which was in turn used to determine the dose of administration of the extract.

Table 1 Experimental design for the salt-loading experiment

S/N	ID	Treatment
1	Normal	Normal feed and water
2	Test control	8% salt-loaded feed and water
3	Reference	8% salt-loaded feed and moduretic (0.1 mg/kg body weight)
4	Treatment 1	8% salt-loaded feed and extract (100 mg/kg body weight)
5	Treatment 2	8% salt-loaded feed and extract (200 mg/kg body weight)
6	Treatment control 1	Normal feed and extract (100 mg/kg body weight)
7	Treatment control 2	Normal feed and extract (200 mg/kg body weight)

Experimental design for the salt-loading experiment

Wistar albino rats (180-210 g, at the start of the study) were collected from the animal house of the Department of Physiology, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Studies were conducted in compliance with the applicable laws and regulations for handling experimental animals. The rats were weighed and sorted into seven groups (Table 1) of five animals each, so that their average weights were approximately equal. The animals were housed in plastic cages. After a 1-week acclimatization period on guinea growers mash (Port Harcourt Flour Mills, Port Harcourt, Nigeria), they were weighed before commencing the experiment. Hypertension was induced by giving 8% salt-loaded feed for six weeks, to the appropriate rats. The 8% salt-loaded regimen was adapted from Ikewuchi and Ikewuchi¹⁹, Ikewuchi et al.²⁰ and Ikewuchi²¹. At the end of six weeks, they were again weighed, before commencing the administration of the extract.

Table 2 Effect of an aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on the hematological indices of normal and salt-loaded rats

Parameter	Magnitude
Parameter	Normal	Test control	Reference	Treatment 1	Treatment 2	Treatment control 1	Treatment control 2
Packed cell volume (%)	28.1±1.2^a	25.3±0.8^c	36.6±1.2^d	38.6±0.9^b	39.5±1.1^b,c	35.7±1.2^b,c	39.9±1.0^b,c
Hemoglobin concentration (g/dL)	10.0±0.4^a	9.1±0.2^c	12.7±0.7^b	13.1±0.2^b	13.4±0.4^b	12.1±0.3^b	13.5±0.2^b
Red cell count (x10⁹ cells/L)	3.3±0.2^a	2.8±0.1^c	4.7±0.8^a,b,c,d	4.8±0.2^b	5.1±0.3^b,d	4.3±0.2^b	5.3±0.2^d
Total white cell count (x10⁹ cells/L)	5.4±1.3^a,b	5.1±0.3^a	7.1±0.4^b,c	5.3±0.4^a,c	8.5±0.4^b	5.8±0.4^a,c	8.3±0.4^b
Neutrophils count (%)	5.9±1.3^a,c	8.5±0.6^b	4.7±0.5^a	7.4±0.5^b,c	5.6±0.5^a	5.9±0.3^a	7.9±0.4^b,c
Lymphocytes count (%)	78.9±1.7^a	71.0±1.7^c	85.8±2.4^b	85.1±2.2^b	76.8±1.5^a,b,c	82.2±1.8^a,b	81.8±1.6^a,b
Monocytes count (%)	15.3±0.7^a	20.6±1.1^c	9.5±0.6^d	7.6±0.5^d	16.4±0.7^a	11.6±0.5^b	10.4±0.8^b,d
Eosinophils count (%)	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a
Basophils count (%)	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a	0.0±0.0^a
Mean cell volume (fL)	87.1±2.5^a	89.7±2.9^a	86.8±13.2^a,b	80.2±0.7^b	79.4±3.3^a,b	83.3±3.1^a,b	77.4±2.7^b
Mean cell hemoglobin concentration (g/dL)	35.5±0.2^a	36.1±0.3^a,c	34.6±0.8^a,b	33.9±0.5^b	33.9±0.2^b	33.9±0.5^b,c	34.0±0.3^b
Mean cell hemoglobin (pg/cell)	3.1±0.1^a	3.2±0.1^c	3.0±0.4^a,b,c	2.7±0.1^b	2.7±0.1^a,b	2.8±0.1^a,b	2.6±0.1^b
Platelet count (x10⁴cells/mm³)	267.4±4.7^a	171.0±5.4^c	161.7±5.1^c	289.9±5.0^a,d	205.6±5.6^b	170.3±4.9^c	294.3±4.3^d

Values are mean ± s.e.m., n=5, per group.

^a,^b,cValues in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different at P<0.05.

Figure 1 Effect of an aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on the plasma markers of liver function in normal and salt-loaded rats.

Values are mean ± s.e.m., n=5, per group.

^a,^b,cValues in the same block of columns, with different superscripts are significantly different at P<0.05.

The plasma total protein content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the normal and treatment 2, but not significantly different from those of reference, treatment 1, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2. The plasma albumin content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of treatment 2, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the normal, reference and treatment 1.

The effect of aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on the plasma markers of kidney function in normal and salt-loaded rats is shown in Figure 2. The plasma creatinine content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of reference, treatment 1, treatment 2, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2. The plasma urea and blood urea nitrogen content of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the other groups.

Figure 3 shows the effect of aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on the plasma markers of liver function in normal and salt-loaded rats. The plasma potassium content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the other groups, except that of the normal and treatment control 2. The plasma sodium content of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the other groups. The plasma calcium content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the other groups, but not significantly different from that of the normal. The plasma albumin corrected calcium content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of treatment 1, treatment 2 and treatment control 1, but not significantly different from those of the normal, reference and treatment control 2. The plasma chloride content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of treatment 2, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the normal, reference and treatment 1. The plasma bicarbonate content of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of treatment 2, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2, but significantly higher than those of the control and reference, and not significantly different from that of treatment 1.

The effect of aqueous extract of the rhizomes of Sansevieria liberica on the plasma markers of liver function in normal and salt-loaded rats is given in Table 2. The packed cell volume of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) those of the normal, reference and treatment 1, but not significantly lower than those of treatment 2, treatment control 1 and treatment control 2. The hemoglobin concentration and red cell count of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the other groups. The total white cell count of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the reference, treatment 2 and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the normal, treatment 1 and treatment control 1. The neutrophil count of the test control group was significantly higher than those of the other groups except those of treatment 1 and treatment control 2. The lymphocyte count of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.5) than those of the other groups. The mean cell volume of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of treatment 1 and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the normal, reference, treatment 2 and treatment control 1. The mean cell hemoglobin concentration of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of treatment 2, and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the normal, reference and treatment control 1. The mean cell hemoglobin of the test control group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the other groups, except that of the reference. The platelet count of the test control group was significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of the normal, treatment 1, treatment 2 and treatment control 2, but not significantly different from those of the reference and treatment control 1.

DISCUSSION:

The present result lends credence to earlier claims of increased plasma activities of alanine and aspartate transaminases²⁴ and plasma concentrations of sodium^1,25 and chloride²⁶; and reduced plasma calcium^3,4 and potassium^1,25,26 in the hypertensive. It however, negated the claims of increased hematocrit in the hypertensive^27,28.

The extract had no deleterious effects on liver and kidney functions in the test animals. It had a positive or tonic effect on the liver, as depicted by the reduction in the plasma markers of liver function. The extract countered the lowering of plasma calcium levels induced by salt-loading. It may have evoked the present effect by altering parathyroid hormone secretion; which in turn may have increased the renal tubular reabsorption and intestinal absorption of calcium by stimulating the renal production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and, if necessary, bone resorption^22,29. Calcium fluxes modulate neuromuscular activities and mediate hormonal effects on target organs through several intracellular signaling pathways^22,30. The raised plasma calcium may, in turn, have great impact on arterial muscle tone, because cardiac muscle relies on extracellular calcium for contraction³¹. Therefore, the mechanism of the anti-hypertensive action of the extract may be via moderation of muscle tone, brought about by increases in plasma calcium concentration, which in turn may have been produced by reducing calcium entry into the cells or increasing its removal from the cells into the extracellular space.

Reduction in plasma sodium and chloride concentrations is one of the mechanisms of action of anti-hypertensive drugs, especially the diuretics^22,32. These diuretics decrease plasma levels of these electrolytes by diminishing their reabsorption at different sites in the nephrons. Of note amongst these therapies are the potassium-sparing diuretics, which inhibit either aldosterone directly, or the Na⁺/K⁺ exchange mechanisms in the distal tubules and collecting ducts^22,32. The overall effect is the loss of sodium in the urine and the retention of potassium in the blood, culminating in lowered plasma sodium and raised plasma potassium levels. In this study, the extract produced low plasma sodium and increased plasma potassium levels. This suggests that it may be potassium-sparing diuretics and may contain a β-antagonist. Increased plasma potassium can also result from decreased filtration and decreased secretion of potassium in distal tubule during renal failure³³. However, the results of the plasma urea and creatinine observed in this study did not support this supposition.

The extract had positive effect on the hemopoietic system of the test rats. Raised hematocrit indicates hemoconcentration, often due to increased red cell mass. This is confirmed by the observed level of the red cell count and hemoglobin concentrations. Increased mortality and morbidity have been directly correlated with abnormal hematological findings such as low hemoglobin^34,35,36,37, low hematocrit^37,38. That the extract improved the hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit highlights the potential of the plant in the management of anemia, and reduction of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Similar increases in hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration was reported by a study of hypertensive patients who were treated with various antihypertensive drugs^39,40. The ability of the extract to inhibit hypertension induced anemia in the test animals may be attributable to the presence of quercetin¹⁰ in the extract. Earlier, Sen et al.⁴¹ had reported the anti-anemic activity of quercetin.

Stress, infection and poisoning from drugs are among the main causes of raised white blood cell count (leukocytosis). As posited by some experimental and pathological studies, white blood cells play important roles in destabilizing coronary artery plaques at the onset of acute coronary syndrome^42,43,44,45. However, a high white blood cell count in peripheral blood is a known risk factor of coronary artery disease, and an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity in hypertensive patients^45,46,47. Therefore, the higher white blood cell count observed in the test rats, in this study, has two implications. First, protection against the onset of acute coronary syndrome, and secondly, increased risk of coronary artery disease. The increased white cell count may have been produced by the immunostimulatory activity of tannic acid⁴⁸, which is abundantly present in the extract¹⁰.

The increase in platelet counts produced by the extract also has two implications. Firstly, it implies likely increase in clotting and protection against bleeding. Secondly, it implies increased insulin resistance and predisposition to adverse cardiovascular events. Increased platelet count may independently predict insulin resistance among non-obese type 2 diabetic patients⁴⁹. Epidemiological evidence indicates that individuals who display high platelet counts have a 2-fold increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events⁵⁰.

In conclusion, this result suggests that the extract may be a diuretic that improves the hemopoietic system, causes leukocytosis, and has a tonic effect on the liver and kidney, at least at the doses at which it was administered in this study. It also supports the use of Sansevieria liberica in traditional health care, for the management of hypertension, and in addition, suggests that its antihypertensive action may be mediated via alteration of plasma sodium and potassium levels or increases in muscle tone brought about by changes in plasma calcium levels.

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Received on 02.08.2013 Modified on 12.08.2013

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