The avocado tree Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) is a native plant of Mexico and Central America. In addition to its edible fruit, it also has many other applications including medicinal use. Avocado leaves have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. However, there is little scientific evidence available on its therapeutic properties.
In this article, we present the published literature on Avocado leaf extract and its potential role as a therapeutic natural cardiotonic treatment.
What Is Avocado Leaf Extract?
Avocado leaf extract is made from the leaves of avocados. It can be used as an herbal remedy for many different ailments and is particularly useful for those looking for relief from high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues. The leaves are collected in their raw state, dried out, and then ground up into a fine powder before being bottled up and sold as capsules or tablets. Avocado tea leaf is also one of the most popular forms of benefitting from these miraculous leaves.
The avocado, or Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae), has long been known as a powerful antioxidant. It is also known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, as well as other health benefits (1)
A Study on Cardiovascular Effects of Persea Americana Mill
The avocado is a tree that belongs to the Lauraceae family and grows in tropical climates. It produces an edible fruit, which is considered one of the most nutritious fruits in the world. The fruit's oil is used in cooking, cosmetics, and toiletries, while its leaves have been used as traditional medicine for centuries by many cultures around the world.
In fact, according to a study published in 2014 by researchers in South Africa, avocado leaves were found to have antioxidant properties that could help treat cardiovascular diseases like hypertension (high blood pressure) and atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). Additionally, they contain oleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fat), which has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in humans as well.
In a study, researchers tested the effect of avocado leaf extract on the cardiovascular system. They found that it had an antioxidant effect on the heart muscle, improved the blood flow in the arteries and veins, increased oxygenation in the heart and brain, lowered cholesterol levels, reduced blood pressure, and prevented heart attacks by improving blood vessel elasticity.
Isolated guinea pig atrial muscle strips were used to test the effects of PAE on myocardial contractile performance, whereas healthy normal Wistar rat portal veins and thoracic aortic rings were used to test the vasodilatory effects of the plant extract in vitro. Normotensive and hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats were used to test the in vivo hypotensive (antihypertensive) impact of the plant extract. Isolated electrically driven left and spontaneously beating right atrial muscle preparations from guinea pigs exhibited concentration-dependent, negative inotropic, and negative chronotropic effects from P americana aqueous leaf extract (25-800 mg/ml; p0.05-0.001). Furthermore, PAE inhibited the positive inotropic and chronotropic responses elicited by noradrenaline (10-10-10-5 M) and calcium (5-40 mM) in guinea pig isolated atrial muscle strips.
The Results
This study found that in the mammalian experimental models employed, PAE induced bradycardia, vasorelaxation, and hypotension. Because PAE's vasorelaxant effect required the endothelium to be involved, it is possible that nitric oxide production and release were involved (NO). PAE's hypotensive (antihypertensive) actions appeared to be greatly aided by its vasorelaxant effects. Results from this study, however, imply that avocado leaf may be useful as a complementary natural treatment for essential hypertension and various forms of heart dysfunction.
