Galangin is a natural flavonoid isolated from ginger, honey and propolis. Aims: To investigate the effect of galangin on blood pressure, vascular changes, sympathoexcitation, oxidative stress and inflammation in rats treated with N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME). Materials and methods: Male Wistar rats (220-250 g) were given l-NAME (0.5 mg/mL in drinking water) to induce hypertension for 5 weeks. They were treated with vehicle, galangin (30 or 60 mg/kg), or amlodipine (10 mg/kg) for the final two weeks (n = 6/group). Key findings: Galangin significantly reduced blood pressure and improved the impairment of endothelium-dependent vasodilation in hypertensive rats. Sympathoexcitation, including enhancement of contractile responses to electrical field stimulation, increases in intensity of tyrosine hydroxylase and plasma norepinephrine concentration in hypertensive rats, was attenuated by galangin treatment. Galangin also reduced systemic and vascular oxidative damage and increased plasma nitric oxide levels in the hypertensive groups. Aortic remodelling accompanied by aortic wall hypertrophy and fibrosis observed in hypertensive rats were alleviated by galangin treatment. Furthermore, galangin exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect by suppressing the upregulation of tumour necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1), phospho-nuclear factor kappa B (p-NF-κB) and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) in aortic tissue and reducing plasma tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in l-NAME rats. In conclusion, galangin had antihypertensive effects that were relevant to attenuating endothelial dysfunction, sympathoexcitation and vascular remodelling. These effects might be contributed by antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities and modulation of the TNF-R1, p-NF-κB and VCAM-1 pathways in hypertensive rats.

高良姜素是一种从生姜、蜂蜜和蜂胶中分离出来的天然黄酮类化合物。目的：研究对血压，血管变化，sympathoexcitation，氧化应激和炎症的高良姜精大鼠治疗效果Ñ ^ģ硝基-升-精氨酸甲基酯（升-NAME）。材料和方法：给予雄性 Wistar 大鼠（220-250 g）l-NAME（饮用水中 0.5 mg/mL）诱导高血压 5 周。在最后两周（n = 6/组），他们用载体、高良姜素（30 或 60 毫克/千克）或氨氯地平（10 毫克/千克）治疗。主要发现：高良姜素显着降低高血压大鼠的血压并改善内皮依赖性血管舒张的损害。交感神经兴奋，包括对电场刺激的收缩反应的增强、高血压大鼠中酪氨酸羟化酶强度和血浆去甲肾上腺素浓度的增加，被高良姜素治疗减弱。高良姜素还减少了全身和血管氧化损伤，并增加了高血压组的血浆一氧化氮水平。在高血压大鼠中观察到的伴有主动脉壁肥大和纤维化的主动脉重塑通过高良姜素治疗得到缓解。1 ( VCAM-1 ) 在主动脉组织中和降低l - NAME 大鼠血浆肿瘤坏死因子 α (TNF-α) 。总之，高良姜素具有与减轻内皮功能障碍、交感神经兴奋和血管重塑相关的抗高血压作用。这些作用可能是由于高血压大鼠的抗氧化和抗炎能力以及对 TNF-R1、p-NF-κB 和 VCAM-1 通路的调节所致。