Antihypertensive Effect of Novel Functional Fermented Milk in Induced High Blood Pressure Rats

The effect of functional fermented milk rich in bioactive peptides on blood pressure, lipid profile, antioxidant status and some organ s in hypertensive-induced rats was studied. Functional fermented milk produced from skimmed milk fortified with 2% SMP:WPC (1:1) and partially proteolyzed by trypsin (2.5 mg/100 g milk for 20 min) before fermintation by using mixed starter culture of Lb. rhamnosus B-1445, O-114, YC-X11 and Lb. helveticusLh-B 02 with a 3:2:1:1 ratio, respectively. The main obtained results showed that the daily administration of functional fermented milk (group 4) for 4 weeks lowered the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 43 and 9 mmHg, respectively compared with a negative control group which administered saline (group 1). Plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, atherogenic index and cardiac risk factor reduced in group 4 compared to group 1, while low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, antithrombotic activity and antioxidant markers did not differ significantly among all groups. Histologically, there were no significant changes in the liver, kidney, heart and aorta tissues of rats in groups 1 and 4. In contrast, there were histopathological changes in these tissues of rats in group 2 which received daily 2 mg captopril /100 g BW.