Description
Lowers Cholesterol – Lowers blood pressure – Improves endothelial dysfunction
Discover the ancient secret of the Berbers: 11 The Argan Seed 11, the most purest and concentrated way to consume Argan oil.
Traditionally hand-pressed Argan oil, obtained from Argania spinosa seeds, is eaten raw in South-West Morocco. Its rich composition of tocopherols, MUFA and PUFA make a study of its actions on risk factors for Cardiovascular Diseases, such as hypertension, interesting. The effects of 7 weeks of treatment with Argan oil (10 ml/kg) on the blood pressure and endothelial function were investigated.
In the clinical research the systolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured every week. Besides, the endothelial function was assessed by carbachol (10(-8) to 10(-4) M)-induced relaxations of aortic rings and small mesenteric arteries pre-contracted with phenylephrine. Argan-oil administration reduced the mean blood pressure after the fifth week of treatment (P<0.05) and increased (P<0.01) the endothelial responses of arteries.
The NO synthase inhibitor, L-N-omega-nitroarginine (3 x 10(-5) M) revealed a greater participation of NO in the relaxant effect after the treatment. When cyclooxygenase (COX) was blocked with indomethacin (10(-5) M), an involvement of COX products in the endothelium dependent response was characterized. Enzyme immunoassay of thromboxane B2 showed a significant decrease (P <0.05) in the release of thromboxane A2 in both aorta and small mesenteric artery after an Argan oil treatment.
Experiments in the presence of the thromboxane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist ICI 192,605 (10(-5) M) confirmed this result. Results after incubation with the antioxidants superoxide dismutase and catalase suggested that a decreased oxidative stress might contribute to explain the beneficial effects of the Argan oil treatment.M) confirmed this result. Results after incubation with the antioxidants superoxide dismutase and catalase suggested that a decreased oxidative stress might contribute to explain the beneficial effects of the Argan oil treatment.
