ISSN 2326-7275
International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology ISSN: 2326-7275 Vol. 9 (2), pp. 001-004, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Beneficial effect of taurine in spontaneous hypertensive rats: Implication of its antioxidant activity
R. Chahine*, J. Hanna, C. Bassil, N. Rihana, A. Mounayar and H. Greige
Laboratory of Physiology, Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Unit, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Accepted 02 December, 2019
Abstract
Taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, has been reported to play an antihypertensive role but the mechanism underlying this activity is yet to be defined. In this study, we investigate the effect of taurine on blood pressure by oral administration in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Total heart weight, left ventricular weight, lipid peroxidation as well as glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase activities (SOD) were determined together with histopathological examination of heart tissue. Results indicate that four weeks of oral taurine administered significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure from 174.6 ± 6.4 to 140.08 ± 8.2 mm Hg (p < 0.05). This was associated with significant reduction of the left ventricular mass in cardiac tissues. Lipid peroxidation of the heart tissue was depressed, while SOD and GSH activities significantly increased in SHR under taurine treatment. Moreover, histological inspection of cardiac sections revealed a smaller cardiomyocytes diameter in taurine- treated animals when compared to controls. We conclude that taurine reduces blood pressure in SHR and decreases cardiac hypertrophy by impacting the antioxidant activity.
Key words: Taurine, antioxidant, hypertension, spontaneous hypertensive rats.