title: The blood pressure effect and related plasma levels of flavan-3-ols in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: We studied the short-term antihypertensive effect of flavan-3-ols (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin and (-)-catechin, in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Plasma metabolites and the corresponding plasma antioxidant capacity were determined. All the assayed flavan-3-ols decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) in SHR. Their antihypertensive effects were less pronounced than that of Captopril (50 mg kg(-1)) and were not shown in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. 6 mg kg(-1) (-)-epicatechin caused the maximum decrease in SBP. The maximum effects of the catechin monomers were observed post-administration of 0.5 mg kg(-1) of flavan-3-ols, (-)-catechin being the least effective among the three assayed compounds. Glucuronide and methyl glucuronide metabolites were obtained in the flavan-3-ol treated SHR, but it was not possible to relate the antihypertensive effect of the assayed flavan-3-ols with a concrete plasma metabolite or with their antioxidant effect. In conclusion, the studied flavan-3-ols could be responsible for the antihypertensive effect of cocoa products.
authors: Dpto. Farmacología, Fac. Medicina, U. Complutense, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. mar.quinones@usc.es.
authors: Mar
authors: M
authors: Quiñones
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Margalef
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Arola-Arnal
authors: Begoña
authors: B
authors: Muguerza
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Miguel
authors: Amaya
authors: A
authors: Aleixandre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002099:Cacao / Q000737:chemistry; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D002392:Catechin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020719:Glucuronides / Q000097:blood*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D020719:Glucuronides; C404987:flavan-3-ol; D002392:Catechin; D002216:Captopril