2.3. Animals

Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (males, eight weeks old, body weight 150 ± 30 g) were included in the study. They consumed commercial rat food (20% protein rat food, Veterinary Institute Subotica, Serbia) ad libitum and were housed at a temperature of 22 ± 2°C, with 12 hours of automatic illumination daily. The rats were divided into two groups as follows:

(1) Control Group. Rats who drank only tap water

(2) G. verum Group. Rats who drank tap water containing 500 mg/kg of methanol extract of G. verum

In order to provide a precise amount of drug for every animal, rats were kept in separate cages (one animal per cage). Considering that animals drink approximately 50 ml of water per day, we dissolved individual dose of extract adjusted to body weight (500 mg/kg) in this volume of water. The same procedure was repeated every day of the experimental protocol.