Study of the Effects of Sambucus Canadensis on Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme and the Renin-Angiotensin System
Open Access
- Author:
- Waxter, Kelsey
- Area of Honors:
- Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Joshua J Kellogg, Thesis Supervisor
Robert John Vansaun, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
ACE inhibition
Medicinal Plants - Abstract:
- Sambucus canadensis, also known as the American black elderberry, is a berry producing shrub that is native to Pennsylvania. Its berries are round, dark in color, and tart in taste. Most notably, elderberries have been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments including hypertension, inflammation, and even insomnia. Recently, concerns about drug resistance, safety and efficacy have been a hot topic especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic about 3 years ago. Since then,There has also been a shift in America, and across the world, as more and more people are looking to botanically-based natural products for their medicinal needsto maintain health and wellness – and those suffering from hypertension are no exception. Many studies have shown that plants like garlic and tea leaves have antihypertensive properties, but no study has determined Sambucus canadensis’ ability to lower blood pressure via angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. To determine if S. canadensis exhibits antihypertensive properties, a methanol extraction was performed on a sample of berries. The extract was then partitioned into four layers using various solvents to isolate specific components of the berry. At different concentrations, each layer was combined with powered ACE and a colorimetric indicator solution, and the resulting absorbance was measured using a spectrophotometer, with lower absorbances indicating higher ACE inhibition. The results of the ACE assay indicated that S. canadensis did not inhibit angiotensin converting enzyme. Because the ACE assay yielded negative results, a secondary assay (antioxidant assay) was performed to determine if S. canadensis has antioxidant activity. This procedure involved a serial dilution of each partition and the addition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) as the antioxidant indicator. The results of this assay indicated that S. canadensis does contain antioxidant properties.