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Medicinal plants have long been used in folkloric medicine in various parts of the world. Presence of phenolic compounds has been attributed to their medicinal properties. Despite various medicinal uses, scientific claims of anti-hypertensive activities are still deficient. Therefore, hydroethanolic (70% ethanol) extracts of the leaf and root parts of T. officinale (TOL and TOR respectively) were investigated for anti-hypertensive antioxidant, diuretic activities, and effects on lipid profile in L-Name-induced hypertensive Wistar rats. Phytochemical screening of TOL and TOR was assessed by known standardized method. Acute toxicity profile of the plant was also evaluated by Lorke’s method. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed using Folin Ciocalteau and Aluminium chloride colorimetric methods; while, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2, 2’–azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS)and ferric antioxidant reducing power (FRAP) protocols were used for their radical scavenging and total antioxidant capacities respectively. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were used for acute antihypertensive study while for the 21 days antihypertensive study, hypertension was induced by administering L-Name (40 mg/kg) for 4 weeks and, CODA 8 Non-invasive tail cuff machine was used to measure blood pressure. With the aid of a semi-auto chemistry analyzer, lipid profile of Taraxacum officinale (TO) was determined using Biosinol reagents. TOL and TOR also significantly reduced systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures up until 4 hours with the leaf part most active in single dose study using SHR model. TOL and TOR also significantly lowered systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures with the leaf part most active in 21 days study using and L-Name-induced HTN models. However, these plant extracts did not have a diuretic effect, but seems to exert its antihypertensive effects by modulating NO production and possibly bioavailability, by acting via an endothelium-dependent pathway. This study validates the traditional use of the leaf part of the plant as an antihypertensive agent.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the frequencies of normal and abnormal findings from exercise electrocardiography (ECG), post-exercise echocardiography (ECHO) and angiography studies in a series of hypertensive and normotensive individuals who underwent diagnostic testing. Data for the ECG and ECHO were obtained simultaneously and the angiography was performed either before or following the exercise stress test. Thirty-seven cases were included in this retrospective study. Records were excluded if patients had: history of myocardial infarction; valvular heart disease; ECG evidence of abnormal Q waves, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with abnormal ST/T wave pattern, or left bundle branch block (LBBB); medications that would alter blood pressure responses or ECG interpretation, technically uninterpretable records; or failure to attain 85% of age-adjusted maximal heart rates during the exercise tests. Subjects were defined as hypertensive (HYP) if at least two of the following criteria were met: 1) SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg; 2) current use of antihypertensive medications; or 3) history of hypertension. Normotensive subjects (NORM) were defined as absence of the above criteria. Data for the ECG and ECHO variables were obtained simultaneously in association with treadmill exercise studies. In each test, ECG measures were taken at peak exercise while the ECHO data were taken within 90 seconds immediately post exercise to obtain images. ECG response was considered abnormal if the ST shifted ≥ .1 mV from baseline at J₆₀ , while the ECHO response was considered abnormal when new or worsening of pre-existing wall motion abnormalities was observed. The 2-D ECHO's were recorded with the subject in the left lateral decubitus position, and parasternal long- and short-axis apical two and four chamber views were recorded for qualitative determination of wall motion abnormalities. Eleven of the 37 subjects also underwent angiography. Chi-square analysis demonstrated that high blood pressure status did not increase the frequency of abnormal test results for the ECHO (Χ²= 0.00009, DF = 1, p>.05), the exercise ECG (Χ²= 0.07, DF = 1, p>.05) nor for the angiography (Χ²= 0.69, DF = 1, p>.05). These results indicate that resting blood pressure does not influence the occurrence of abnormal vs normal ECG and ECHO findings nor angiography findings between hypertensive and normotensive subjects. There was also no significant differences between the ECG and ECHO in the occurrence of abnormal findings for NORM subjects (Χ²=2.43E-015, DF = 1, p>.05) nor HYP subjects (Χ²=0.13, DF = 1, p>.05). The ECHO showed 80% true-positive findings and the ECG showed 60% compared to the angiography. Both the ECG and ECHO had the same percentage of true-negatives (33%) compared to the angiography results. Since there was a higher percentage of ECHO true-positive results compared to the angiography then the ECG, this may indicate that the ECHO is comparable to the angiography findings and may be a better predictor in determining disease than the ECG. However, these data warrant further evaluation studies. / Master of Science

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Thesis (M Med.(Family Medicine & PHC))-- University of Limpopo, 2009. / A study on reasons why hypertensive patients seen at Natalspruit Hospital consult traditional healers whilst taking treatment from the hospital. Aim: To understand reasons given by patients receiving treatment for hypertension at Natalspruit Hospital for concurrently using traditional medicine. Design: Explorative descriptive qualitative study. Setting: Natalspruit Hospital, Gauteng – South Africa. Study population: All patients attending the researcher‟s practice suffering from hypertension and also consulted traditional healers. Results: The results of this study originated from the data collected from different interviews and their interpretations by the researcher. The respondents answered freely to the research question during a face to face conversation which was recorded with the purpose of exploring the topic in details. A certain number of information was obtained on why hypertensive patients despite their treatment from the researcher‟s practice were seeking help from the traditional healers. Number of answers derived from all respondents on the reasons why they combine the two types of medicine for their hypertension. This study focused on the ways the respondents felt about the service from the hospital/clinic, from the traditional healers and mainly on the reasons given by them when seeking help from traditional healers. Nine respondents were our group which was interviewed. The group consisted primarily of females than males, most of them were unemployed. Recommendations: Based on the results found, recommendations are that traditional medicine should be encouraged, especially in rural areas as it contributes substantially to primary health care. The government should primarily be using its resources in encouraging traditional healers to become a part of the health care delivery system through workshops involving both health professionals and traditional healers, training of modern doctors in the importance of cultural care and positive attitude towards the traditional healers. The government should consider integrating traditional medicine into the formal health system of the state. There is need to be education of patients on side-effects of anti-hypertensives at the time of dispensing, for instance ACE Inhibitors and the cough, to prevent patients seeking solutions for themselves, including taking traditional medication; education of staff in hospitals/clinics on care of patients to improve their attitudes. There is need for principles of Family Medicine to be taught and implemented in all levels of care. There is need for accessibility of modern medicine in remote areas where hospital facilities should be closer to all. A pilot referral system should be introduced and evaluated. If successful, a full-scale system should be introduced. This will ensure that the traditional healer feels both involved and committed. Traditional healers should come out into the open and be more assertive so that their work becomes transparent and this could further enhance their public image.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular, renal and nervous system pathologies. Refractory hypertension is prevalent at approximately 30% despite diet, lifestyle and multiple pharmacologic interventions. Blood pressure can be influenced at the level of the nervous system, at the level of the kidney, and at the level of the vasculature. This document describes investigations performed into each of these systems during the development of hypertension using a model of human essential hypertension, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), by a proteomic approach of 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A transgenic mouse model with deficits in p75 neurotrophin receptor (NTR), which has been implicated in hypertension, was similarly investigated. Proteomics is a scientific strategy that is not entirely hypothesis driven, rather it has the hypothesis that functional and phenotypic changes in pathophysiology are reflected at the protein level. Proteomics compares the proteome of a disease state, treatment, temporal state, to an appropriate control to determine changes in the level of protein present and its biochemical properties. Proteome changes in the SHR mesenteric arteries included the novel observation of increased CLIC1 association with the adventitia in the SHR, the decreased expression of HSP90 alpha and beta in the SHR, and the presence of an additional protein spot for tropomyosin beta and MLC20 in the SHR. These proteome changes are suggestive of an increased contractile state in the mesenteric resistance arteries of SHR. In the renal proteome, there was a decrease of alpha-2μ globulin and a decrease in MAWDBP in the SHR demonstrating molecular changes in the kidney before known pathological changes. In superior cervical ganglia, sstereological measurement showed significant increases in the number of sympathetic neurons in both lines of p75NTR-deficient mice, relative to wild type mice with an enhanced survival of sympathetic neurons associated with shifts toward the more basic isoforms of Annexin V in the proteomes of p75NTR-deficient mice. / Thesis (Ph.D, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-02-11 15:35:00.525

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2003Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:02:57Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 marchioli_m_dr_botfm.pdf: 340345 bytes, checksum: 8357510644b7a9ae282260dc210a3b2e (MD5) / O conhecimento das condições do sistema cardiovascular materno, durante o trabalho de parto e no puerpério imediato, é importante para uma boa assistência a esses períodos, principalmente para as mulheres portadoras de cardiopatias e hipertensão arterial. Sujeitos e métodos: foram incluídas no estudo 60 parturientes, nas quais foi aplicada a monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial (MAPA) – modelo SpaceLabs 90207, durante o trabalho de parto e nas primeiras 12 horas após o parto. A pressão arterial e a freqüência cardíaca foram registradas a cada 15 minutos durante o trabalho de parto e na primeira hora após o parto e, a cada 30 minutos até a 12a. hora após o parto. Esses parâmetros foram avaliados em três momentos do trabalho de parto (com dilatação cervical até 7 cm, entre 8 cm e dilatação total e durante o período expulsivo) e em dois momentos do puerpério (na primeira e décima segunda hora). Primeiramente as parturientes foram avaliadas sem levar em consideração a realização de procedimento de analgesia/anestesia e depois dividindo-as em grupos conforme o tipo de procedimento realizado: anestesia local, analgesia/anestesia peridural lombar e anestesia subaracnóidea. Para comparação dentro de cada grupo foram realizados análise de variância (ANOVA) e teste t de Student pareado e, entre os grupos o teste t não-pareado. Foi considerado o limite de significância estatística de 5%. Resultados: quando as parturientes foram avaliadas sem levar em consideração o procedimento analgésico/anestésico, os valores da pressão... / The knowledge of maternal cardiovascular system conditions in labor and in early puerperium women is important to give good assistance to the women during these periods, mainly to the cardiac and hypertensive pregnant women. The aim of this study was to analyze the maternal blood pressure and heart beat variation during labor and early puerperium. Material and methods: a total of 60 primigravid women were included in the study, and submitted to automatic ambulatory blood pressure and heart beat monitor (SpaceLabs 90207) during the labor and the first 12 hours of puerperium. The register of blood pressure and heart beat was done every 15 minutes during the labor and every 30 minutes during the first 12 hours of puerperium. It was analyzed three times during labor (until cervix dilated 7 cm, cervix dilated between 8 cm and total dilatation, and delivery period) and two times during puerperium (first and twelfth hours). In the first moment the primigravid were analyzed without considering the submission to analgesia. In the second moment they were divided into three groups, according to the anesthetic techniques: local, lumbar extradural or subarachnoid. Results were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired Student’s t test to blood pressure and heart beat in each group during labor and puerperium. To compare different groups, nonpaired Student’s t test was used. A p value < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: when the primigravid were analyzed without considering the... (Complete abstract, click electronic access below)

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