Gardenia jasminoides is a plant that has been used in
traditional Chinese medicine. It has four key active components (
genipin gentiobioside,
geniposide,
crocin 1 and
crocin 2). The aim of the present study was to determine the anti‑hypertension effects of Gardenia jasminoidesin vivo. The chemical composition of Gardenia jasminoides was determined using liquid chromatography. The anti‑hypertensive effects of Gardenia jasminoides were determined by a L‑NG‑nitroarginine (L‑NNA)‑induced
hypertension animal model. Both Gardenia jasminoides plants of the Jiangjin County variety (CJGJ) and the Lichuan City variety (HLGJ) were used. HLGJ contained more
geniposide than CJGJ. L‑NNA was used to induce
hypertension in mice, and the mice were subsequently treated with CJGJ and HLGJ. The Gardenia jasminoides‑treated mice exhibited lower systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP) than the experimental control mice. Additionally, HLGL has a more potent effect on SBP, MBP and DBP than CJGJ. Following Gardenia jasminoides treatment, the
nitric oxide contents in serum, heart, liver, kidney and stomach of mice were higher than the L‑NNA‑induced control mice, and the
malondialdehyde contents were lower; the levels in HLGJ‑treated mice were closer to those normal mice than the levels in CJGJ‑treated mice were. Serum levels of endothelin‑1 and
vascular endothelial growth factor were reduced by HLGJ treatment in hypertensive mice, whereas the
calcitonin gene‑related
peptide level was raised. Reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction analysis of mouse heart and vessel tissue demonstrated that HLGJ‑treated mice exhibited higher
heme oxygenase‑1,
neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), endothelial NOS, Bax, caspase‑3, caspase‑8, caspase‑9
mRNA expression levels and lower
adrenomedullin, receptor activity modifying
protein, interleukin‑1β,
tumor necrosis factor‑α, inducible NOS, Bcl‑2, monocyte
chemoattractant protein‑1, nuclear factor‑κB and matrix metalloproteinase‑2 and ‑9
mRNA expression compared with control hypertensive mice and CJGJ‑treated mice. In conclusion, Gardenia jasminoides has anti‑hypertensive effects, and these effects may be associated with the active component,
geniposide.