International Journal of Pharmacology1811-77751812-5700Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/ijp.2007.311.318Aframomum melegueta Seeds in Humans]]>LawalB. A.S.AderibigbeA. O.EssietG. A.EssienA. D.4200734The current study was designed to determine the effects of the seeds of Aframomum melegueta (AM) on the cardiovascular function in both normal and hypertensive human subjects. Normal subjects serving as controls and divided into three groups; A, B and C as well as hypertensive subjects in groups; D and E, were drafted into this study. Baseline Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) and Heart Rate (HR) values were taken before ingestion of 10, 15 and 20 seeds, respectively in normals and 10 and 20 seeds respectively in hypertensives. Measurements of the above parameters were taken for a duration of 1 h at 10 min intervals post ingestion. Two weeks after, the same protocol was carried out on normal subjects except that group A acted as control (no seeds) and groups B and C took 10 seeds each. Thirty minutes after the start of the protocol, groups A and B were subjected to Vasalva maneuver while group C was subjected to Cold Stress maneuver all for 1 min. An additional 31 min measurement was taken at the end of the procedures. Ingestion of these seeds resulted in the lowering of cardiovascular indices such as SBP, DBP, PP and MAP in normotensives and hypertensives, respectively. All were found to be significantly different from control values (p<0.01). Percentage reductions, though similar between normotensives and hypertensives, were however greater for SBP averaging (15-16%) than DBP (9-10%). The results of this study show that seeds of AM exert a potent effect on the blood pressure in both normotensive and hypertensive subjects. The results suggest a central effect but peripheral vasodilatation effect cannot be ruled out probably via the nitric oxide-cGMP pathway. The degree of reduction is within safety limits indicating its potential usefulness in managing hypertension in young and elderly hypertensive patients.]]>Ajaiyeoba, E.O. and O. Ekundayo, 1999Aframomum melegueta (Roscoe) K. Schum. Seeds (alligator pepper) from Nigeria.]]>14109111Allas, S., V. Ngoka, N.G. Hartman, S. Owassa and M. Ibea,19951995Carlos, G.E., C.M. Kilcoyne, C. Cardillo, R.O. Cannon, III, A.A. Quyyumi and J.A. Panza,199526863868Clarke, R., S. Lewington, L. Youngman, P. Sherliker, R. Peto and R. Collins,200223286293Engelman, E., M. Lipszyc, E. Gilbart, P. van der Linde, B. Bellens, A. van Romphey and M. de Rood,198971178187Fang, J., S. Madhavan, H. Cohen and M.H. Alderman,199526377382Frohlich, E.D., C. Grim, D.R. Labarthe, M.T Maxwell, D. Perloff and W.H. Weidman,198811209A222AGabriel, A.O., O. Makinde, O. Kolawole Falade, I. Phyllis and U. Peters,2003Aframomum melegueta and Xylopia aethiopica.]]>216526528Goldstein, D.S., C.R. Lake, B. Chernow, M.G. Ziegler and M.D.,19835100104Iwu, M.M.,19931st Edn.,pp: 464pp: 464Iwu, M.M., A.R. Duncan and C.O. Okunji,19991999pp: 457-462pp: 457-462Izzo, N.J., C.E. Seidman, S. Collins and W.S. Collucci,19901-Adrenergic receptor mRNA level is regulated by norepinephrine in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells.]]>8762686271Jong-Shiaw, J. and L.G. D'Alecy,199526406412Kamtchouing, P., G.Y.F. Mbongue, T. Dimo, P. Watcho, H.B. Jatsa and S.D. Sokeng,2002Aframomum melegueta and Piper guineense on sexual behaviour of male rats.]]>13243247Kannel, W.B., W.P. Castelli, T. Gordon and P.M. McNamara,197174112Lachman-White, D.A., C.D. Adams and O.D. Trotz Ulric,1992Lans, C., T. Harper, K. Georges and E. Bridgewater,200045201220Liu, K.L., D. Benzoni and J. Sassard,1994266R1530R1536Martinotti, E.,199124297306Newman, H.F. and J.D. Northup,198117399408Swales, J.D.199450235245Umukoro, S. and R.B. Ashorobi,2003Aframomum melegueta seed.]]>195154Umukoro, S. and R.B. Ashorobi,2005Aframomum melegueta seed extract and its possible mechanism of action.]]>43539