title: Lactobacillus caseistrain C1 attenuates vascular changes in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: Hypertension can be caused by various factors while the predominant causes include increase in body fluid volume and resistance in the circulatory system that elevate the blood pressure. Consumption of probiotics has been proven to attenuate hypertension; however, the effect is much strain-dependent. In this study, a newly isolatedLactobacillus casei(Lb. casei) strain C1 was investigated for its antihypertensive properties in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) suspension of 11 log colony-forming unit (CFU) was given to SHR (SHR+LAB, n=8), and phosphate buffer saline (PBS) was given as a control in SHR (SHR, n=8) and in Wistar rats as sham (WIS, n=8). The treatment was given via oral gavage for 8 weeks. The results showed that the weekly systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and aortic reactivity function were remarkably improved after 8 weeks of bacterial administration in SHR+LAB. These effects were mostly attributed by restoration of wall tension and tensile stress following the bacterial treatment. Although not statistically significant, the level of malondialdehye (MDA) in SHR+LAB serum was found declining. Increased levels of glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (NO) in SHR+LAB serum suggested that the bacterium exerted vascular protection through antioxidative functions and relatively high NO level that induced vasodilation. Collectively,Lb. caseistrain C1 is a promising alternative for hypertension improvement.
authors.affiliation: Programme of Biomedical Sciences, School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wei Boon
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.affiliation: Programme of Biomedical Sciences, School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Faisal Malau
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Programme of Biomedical Sciences, School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yi Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Programme of Biomedical Sciences, School of Diagnostic and Applied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 50300, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Satirah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zainalabidin
keywords: Antioxidant; Blood pressure; Nitric oxide; Probiotic; Vascular reactivity