L-Tartaric Acid Exhibits Antihypertensive and Vasorelaxant Effects: The Possible Role of eNOS/NO/cGMP Pathways

Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the antihypertensive effect of L-Tartaric acid.

Background: L-Tartaric acid (L-TA) is a well-known weak organic acid that naturally occurs in a wide range of fruits, most notably in grapes, tamarind, and citrus.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the effect of acute and subchronic administration of L-TA on blood pressure parameters in normotensive and hypertensive rats as well as its vasorelaxant potency.

Methods: In the current study, the antihypertensive activity of L-TA was pharmacologically studied. L-NAME-induced hypertensive and normotensive rats received L-TA (80 and 240 mg/kg) orally over six hours for the acute experiment and seven days for the subchronic treatment. Thereafter, systolic, diastolic, mean, mid arterial blood pressure, and pulse pressure as well as heart rate were evaluated. In the in vitro experiment, the vasorelaxant ability of L-TA was performed in ratisolated thoracic aorta.

Results: An important drop in blood pressure was recorded in L-NAME-induced hypertensives treated with L-TA. This molecule also produced a dose-dependent relaxation of the aorta precontracted with norepinephrine (NEP) and KCl. The study demonstrated that the vasorelaxant capacity of L-TA seems to be exerted through the activation of eNOS/NO/cGMP pathways.

L-NAME; L-tartaric acid; cardiovascular disease; hypertension; nitric oxide; vasodilation.