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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of flaxseed (L. usitatissimum [Linn]) on blood pressure, redox status markers and acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity in ouabain-induced hypertension in normal Wistar rats.

Male Wistar rats weighing 250 ± 7 g (n = 24) fed with an experimental diet containing 20 per cent casein were divided into three groups (n = 8) and received a daily subcutaneous injection of either 0.9 per cent saline solution (T group) or 10 µg/kg/day of ouabain diluted in saline solution-treated Oub-Lu or not with 1 per cent of flaxseed (L. usitatissimum) mixed in the diet for 21 days.

The results showed that treatment with flaxseed had a significant effect (p < 0.05) in decreasing systolic, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure and the heart rate in hypertensive rats. Total and non-HDL cholesterol levels were reduced by –26 and –35 per cent; p = 0.04, respectively. Concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were significantly decreased by –85 and –42 per cent (p = 0.001 and p = 0.04), respectively in the plasma and heart. Nitric oxide levels were increased in the aorta (+ 63 per cent; p = 0.001). Moreover, in the heart and aorta, a significant increase was noted in the thiol contents (+81 and +69 per cent; p = 0.001, respectively), glutathione peroxidase (+50 per cent; p = 0.03 and p = 0.01, respectively) and acetylcholinesterase activities (75 and +19 per cent, respectively; p = 0.001 and p = 0.04).

These results suggest hypotensive, cardiomoderating and antioxidant effects of flaxseed in ouabain-induced hypertension in the rat. In addition, it promotes a significant increase of the acetylcholinesterase activity in tissues.