EFFECTS OF CASIMIROA-EDULIS (RUTACEA) ON BLOOD-PRESSURE AND CARDIAC FREQUENCY OF ALBINO-RATS

Aqueous extracts of Casimiroa edulis leaves injected intravenously to 20 normal Spague-Dawley rats produced a rapid and transitory increase in blood pressure. The amplitude of the blood pressure rise was dose d ependent. The increase was statistically significant (p less than or e qual to 0.01) at a concentration of 220 mOsm/l, and was associated wit h a significant heart rate decrease (p less than or equal to 0.01) pro bably secondary to barorreceptor stimuli. The application of 130 mOsm/ l of the extract did not produce a significant increase in blood press ure, which was followed by a rapid pressure normalization. The slight increase in cardiac rate during the pressure lift was probably due to sympathetic stimuli.