Beneficial Effects of Spirulina Aqueous Extract on Vasodilator Function of Arteries from Hypertensive Rats

Figures

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  Figure 1. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the concentration-response curve to acetylcholine in aortic segments, with different amounts of functional endothelium, from SHR. Results (means ± SEM) are represented as the percentage of inhibition of the contraction elicited by 0.1 μM noradrenaline. Number of animals: 5-7. The statistical significance is indicated in the corresponding graphs.

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  Figure 2. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the concentration-response curve to the NO donor sodium nitroprusside in aortic segments from SHR. Results (means ± SEM) are presented as a percentage of inhibition of the contraction elicited by 0.1 μM noradrenaline. Number of animals: 5-7. The statistical significance is indicated in the graph.

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  Figure 3. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the concentration-response curve to the KATP channel opener pinacidil in aortic segments from SHR. Results (means ± SEM) are represented as the percentage of inhibition of the contraction elicited by 0.1 μM noradrenaline. Number of animals: 5-7. The statistical significance is indicated in the graph.

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  Figure 4. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the basal release of NO in aortic segments from SHR. Results (means ± SEM) are expressed as arbitrary units of fluorescence (AU) per milligram of tissue. Number of animals: 5-7. ∗p < 0.05 compared with the control condition (in the absence of Spirulina extract).

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  Figure 5. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the production of superoxide anion in aortic segments from SHR. Representative confocal images showing in situ detection of superoxide anion in red and DAPI-nuclei staining in blue. Quantitative analysis of fluorescence is also shown. Results (means ± SEM) are expressed as the ratio between the fluorescence emitted by hydroethidine (HE) and that emitted by DAPI. Number of animals: 4.

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  Figure 6. Effect of the aqueous Spirulina extract incubation on the production of hydrogen peroxide in aortic segments from SHR. Results (means ± SEM) are expressed as nanomoles of H2O2 per microgram of protein. Number of animals: 5. ∗p < 0.01 compared with the control condition (in absence of Spirulina extract).

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  Figure 7. Representative western blot and densitometric analysis for the expression of p-Akt, p-eNOS, and HO-1 protein in aortic segments from SHR in the absence (control) or in the presence of the aqueous Spirulina extract. Results (means ± SEM) are expressed as the ratio between the signal for p-Akt, p-eNOS, or HO-1 protein and the signal for GAPDH. Number of animals: 3-5. ∗p < 0.01 compared with the control condition (in the absence of Spirulina extract).