The Effects of Cola Acuminata on Arterial Blood Pressure

Abstract

Caffeine has been proven to be vasoactive and augments the release of calcium from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Interestingly, caffeine is the most active principle of Cola acuminata-commonly consumed in Nigeria. This study is designed to determine its effects on blood pressure using 20 Sprague dawley rats with an average weight of 150g. The animals were subdivided into 2 groups of 10 rats each (control and test groups). The control rats were fed with rat chow while the test groups were fed with salt diet that was prepared by adding 7.7g of salt to 92.3g of normal rats chow in order to achieve hypertension. Substance extraction was by chloroform extraction. With the extract, different levels of the substance concentration were prepared and subsequently infused in sequence to the test rats. The results showed that diastolic blood pressure was more responsive to changes in concentration of Cola acuminata extract with a significant concentration dependent increase in the arterial blood pressure of both the normotensive and hypertensive rats. Considering the fact that Cola acuminata consumption is part of our culture and the fact that some become addicted, it is our opinion therefore, that the need for efforts towards identifying the cardiovascular implications of caffeine containing consumables, can never be over emphasized.