title: Cardiovascular activity of milk casein-derived tripeptides and plant sterols in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: The effect of chronic treatment with fermented milk products containing bioactive tripeptides and plant sterols on blood pressure and vascular function was investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Six-weeks old male SHR (n=36) were randomized into 4 groups by body weight and blood pressure to receive either Lactobacillus helveticus fermented standard milk product (containing tripeptides Ile-Pro-Pro, Val-Pro-Pro and Leu-Pro-Pro), test product with enzymatically produced tripeptides without or with plant sterols or control product without the active constituents for 8 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured weekly using the tail-cuff method. Thoracic aorta and mesenteric artery were excised for vascular response measurements. At the end, SBP values vs. control product group were: standard product group -14 mmHg (P<0.05), test product group -12 mmHg and test product +sterols group -7 mmHg. The average daily tripeptide dose was 2.8-5.2 mg/kg. Total serum cholesterol in the test product +sterols group tended to be lower than in the test product group (P=0.10) whereas serum plant sterol (campesterol, sitosterol) concentrations were higher (P<0.001). In conclusion, bioactive tripeptide-containing milk products attenuated the blood pressure development in SHR. The plant sterols did not improve this effect. Vascular responses did not markedly differ between the groups, except that endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) -related aortic relaxation was demonstrated in the test product +sterols group.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. pauliina.jakala@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jakala
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pere
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lehtinen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turpeinen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Korpela
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vapaatalo
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000737:chemistry; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D052198:Lactobacillus helveticus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002364:Caseins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010840:Phytosterols; C489032:isoleucyl-prolyl-proline; C535179:leucyl-prolyl-proline; C489031:valyl-prolyl-proline; D002784:Cholesterol; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase