Chemical Investigation and Hypotensive Activity study on some Myanmar Indigenous Medicinal Plants used in the Treatement of Hypertension

Study of Myanmar indigenous medicinal plants used in the treatment of hypertension was conducted. The samples studied were Gant-ka-lar (Gisekia pharnaceoides), Dant-da-lun (Moringa oleifera), Egayit (Millingtonia hortensis), Sue-pan (Carthamus tinctarius), Kauk-yoe-nwe (Oxystelma esculentum), Shauk (Citrus medica) Kyet-lei-san (Vitex glabrata), and Sin-ngo-myet (Eleusine indica). In all these samples, determination of potassium had been conducted through its natural K activity by high purity germanium gamma counter and by NaI (Tl) selective channel and 'Aloka' gross gamma scintillation counters. Quantitative determination of the two elements (Na, K) and nine elements (Mg, Ca, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) in these samples were carried out by flame photometry and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), respectively. In addition, elemental analysis for these samples was conducted by using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry. Moreover, organic compounds present in water extracts of Gant-ka-lar and Dant-da-lun were studied by phytochemical investigation. The hypotensive activities of different water extracts of Gant-ka-lar and Dant-da-lun were studied by using tail cuff method employing ''Wistar-kyoto'' rats. It was found that gant-Ka-Lar to be most effective in the treatment of hypertension