Antihypertensive Potential of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia : Molecular Insights and Therapeutic Implications.
Panagiotis EfentakisLydia SymeonidiDespoina D GianniouEleni Vaskani MikropoulouPanagiota GiardoglouDimitrios ValakosGiannis VatsellasMaria TsotaNikolaos G KostomitsopoulosIlias SmyrnioudisIoannis P TrougakosMaria HalabalakiGeorgios V DedoussisIoanna AndreadouPublished in: Nutrients (2024)
Background: Hypertension poses a significant global health burden and is associated with cardiovascular morbidity. Chios mastic gum (CMG), derived from Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia , shows potential as a phytotherapeutic agent, due to its multifaceted beneficial effects. However, its anti-hypertensive effects and vascular, circulatory, and renal-related dysfunction, have not been thoroughly investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the antihypertensive potential of CMG, focusing on vascular and renal endothelium, in vivo. Methods: Two models of hypertension in male rats, induced by Angiotensin II and Deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-high-salt administration, were utilized. CMG was administered at 220 mg/kg daily for four weeks after hypertension onset and blood pressure was measured non-invasively. Whole blood RNA sequencing, metabolomics, real-time PCR, and Western blot analyses of kidney and aorta tissues were additionally performed. Results: CMG significantly lowered systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure in both models. RNA sequencing revealed that CMG modulated immunity in the Angiotensin II model and metabolism in the DOCA-HS model. CMG downregulated genes related to oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction and upregulated endothelial markers such as Vegfa. Metabolomic analysis indicated improved endothelial homeostasis via lysophosphatidylinositol upregulation. Conclusions: CMG emerges as a potent natural antihypertensive therapy, demonstrating beneficial effects on blood pressure and renal endothelial function.
Keyphrases
- blood pressure
- angiotensin ii
- hypertensive patients
- angiotensin converting enzyme
- vascular smooth muscle cells
- oxidative stress
- heart rate
- single cell
- global health
- real time pcr
- endothelial cells
- public health
- mass spectrometry
- nitric oxide
- gene expression
- heart failure
- coronary artery
- poor prognosis
- left ventricular
- south africa
- dna damage
- physical activity
- dna methylation
- cell proliferation
- pulmonary artery
- long non coding rna
- type diabetes
- bone marrow
- genome wide
- metabolic syndrome
- risk assessment
- high resolution
- aortic valve
- mesenchymal stem cells
- atrial fibrillation
- weight loss
- adipose tissue
- induced apoptosis
- diabetic rats
- insulin resistance
- drug induced
- anti inflammatory
- heat shock
- genome wide identification