Key result
Treatment with freeze-dried grape powder for 10 weeks significantly reduced blood pressure, improved arterial relaxation, increased vascular compliance, and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in rats.
Why the study?
Does freeze-dried grape powder improve vascular and cardiac function in spontaneously hypertensive rats?
Does freeze-dried grape powder improve vascular and cardiac function in spontaneously hypertensive rats?
Dietary grape consumption provides mild vascular and cardiac benefits in a hypertensive rat model, suggesting potential as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment of hypertension.
Hypothesis-generating in hypertensive rats; leaves open translation to human therapy pending clinical trials.
BACKGROUND: We previously reported that resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red grapes, attenuated changes in small artery geometry and stiffness, as well as cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac function in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). However, in addition to resveratrol, grapes contain a variety of bioactive polyphenols such as catechins, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. Therefore, we investigated the effects of grape consumption in SHR. METHODS: Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHR were treated with freeze-dried grape powder for 10 weeks. Dilatory, geometry, and stiffness properties of mesenteric small arteries were assessed by pressurized myography. Left ventricular mass index and cardiac function were assessed by two-dimensional guided M-mode and pulse-wave Doppler echocardiography. RESULTS: Elevated blood pressure in SHR was associated with remodeling and impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation of small arteries. Augmented left ventricular mass index (reflecting hypertrophy) and diminished cardiac function were also evident in SHR. Although grape treatment failed to affect cardiac dysfunction, it elicited a significant reduction in blood pressure, improved arterial relaxation, increased vascular compliance, and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with whole grape powder conferred mild vascular and cardiac benefits in SHR. Therefore, dietary grape consumption may be a feasible and salutary adjunct to pharmacological treatment of human hypertension.
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Thandapilly et al. (2012) studied Hypertension. Freeze-dried grape powder was evaluated on Blood pressure, arterial relaxation, vascular compliance, cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiac function. Treatment with freeze-dried grape powder for 10 weeks significantly reduced blood pressure, improved arterial relaxation, increased vascular compliance, and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy in rats.
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