Synbiotic Kefir‐Yacon Drink Ameliorates Hypertension by Modulating Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Pathways

Q: What are the key findings of this study?

Fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage significantly reduced systolic blood pressure to 155.5 mmHg vs 176.8 mmHg in vehicle-treated hypertensive rats (p<0.05).

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Population: Hypertension (experimental spontaneously hypertensive rat model) (n=40). Intervention: Fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage (SKY) vs. Vehicle (deionized water) in SHR and Wistar rats, or unfermented yacon beverage in SHR. Primary outcome: Final systolic blood pressure (SBP) measured by tail plethysmography at 8 weeks (p=<0.05).

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

A fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage lowers blood pressure and attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats by modulating antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiota pathways. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Q: What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate whether an 8-week intervention with a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage improves blood pressure, oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota composition in a rat model of hypertension.

Flávia de Souza Andrade Moraes; Maressa de Carvalho Fragoso; Cristiane Lyrio Da Silva; Karynna Alcantara Dutra; Lucas Gueller da Silva Gonçalves; Lucas Andrade Campelo; Antônio Ferreira de Melo Júnior; Nazaré Souza Bissoli; Girlandia Alexandre Brasil Amorim; Ewelyne Miranda de Lima; Tadeu Uggere de Andrade

doi:10.1111/1750-3841.71598

November 1, 2026Journal of Food ScienceOpen Access

Synbiotic Kefir‐Yacon Drink Ameliorates Hypertension by Modulating Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Pathways

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Key result

Fermented kefir-yacon beverage lowers systolic blood pressure by ~21 mmHg in hypertensive rats.

P<0.05
n=40

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Why the study?

Hypertension is associated with oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Whether a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage could improve hemodynamic parameters through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiota-modulating effects was unknown.

Does an 8-week oral intervention with a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage reduce blood pressure and improve cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota composition in spontaneously hypertensive rats?

Key Points

To evaluate whether an 8-week intervention with a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage improves blood pressure, oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota composition in a rat model of hypertension.
Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar controls were divided into four oral treatment groups for 8 weeks: vehicle-treated Wistar, vehicle-treated SHR, unfermented yacon-treated SHR, and kefir-yacon beverage-treated SHR.
Assessed hemodynamic parameters, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac oxidative stress markers (Nrf2, SOD, CAT, TBARS), NF-κB, circulating cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), and fecal Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus populations.
The synbiotic beverage significantly reduced systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure to levels comparable to normotensive animals (p < 0.05), while also reducing heart rate and cardiac hypertrophy.
Treatment increased cardiac Nrf2 expression along with SOD and CAT antioxidant enzyme activities, whereas lipid peroxidation (TBARS), NF-κB expression, and plasma TNF-α and IL-6 levels significantly decreased (p < 0.05).
Fecal abundance of beneficial Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus populations significantly increased following administration of the fermented beverage.

Structured PICO

Does an 8-week oral intervention with a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage reduce blood pressure and improve cardiac oxidative stress, inflammation, and gut microbiota composition in spontaneously hypertensive rats?

P

Population

40 8-week-old male rats (30 spontaneously hypertensive rats and 10 normotensive Wistar rats, ~250 g) randomized to 8 weeks of oral treatment.

I

Intervention

Fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage (82.7% yacon juice and 2% kefir grains fermented at 35°C for 24 h) administered orally via gavage at 0.3 mL/100 g body weight daily for 8 weeks.

C

Comparator

Vehicle (deionized water) administered orally via gavage at 0.3 mL/100 g body weight daily to SHR and normotensive Wistar control groups, or unfermented yacon beverage administered to SHR for 8 weeks.

O

Outcome

Hemodynamic parameters including systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) measured by tail plethysmography after 8 weeks of treatment.surrogate

Main Result

Absolute Event Rate: 155.5% vs 176.8%

p-value: p=<0.05

In spontaneously hypertensive rats, an 8-week oral regimen of fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage significantly lowered blood pressure, reduced cardiac hypertrophy, enhanced cardiac antioxidant pathways (Nrf2, SOD, CAT), decreased systemic inflammation (IL-6, TNF-α), and increased fecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts.

Limitations

Microbiological analysis was restricted to culture-based quantification of selected cultivable bacterial populations (Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp.) rather than comprehensive sequencing.
Normotensive rats receiving yacon or kefir-yacon were not included, preventing determination of whether effects are specific to the hypertensive state.
Cardiac mass normalization to tibia length was not performed when evaluating cardiac hypertrophy.
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were not directly measured.
Individual contributions of bioactive phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity, and probiotic microorganisms could not be distinguished.
Microbiological analysis was restricted to culture-based quantification of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. without 16S rRNA sequencing.
Normotensive rats receiving unfermented yacon or kefir-yacon were not included in the experimental design.
Cardiac mass normalization to tibia length was not performed.

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Implication

Should not change clinical practice; leaves open translation of synbiotic antihypertensive effects to humans.

Abstract

Hypertension is associated with oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study evaluated whether a fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage could improve hemodynamic parameters in a hypertension model through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiota-modulating effects. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Wistar treated with vehicle (W), SHR treated with vehicle (SHR), SHR treated with unfermented yacon (SY), and SHR treated with the kefir-yacon beverage (SKY). Treatments were administered orally for 8 weeks. Hemodynamic parameters, oxidative stress markers, transcription factors, antioxidant enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, cardiac hypertrophy, and selected fecal bacterial populations were assessed. The synbiotic beverage significantly reduced systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure, restoring values comparable to those of normotensive animals (p < 0.05). Heart rate and cardiac hypertrophy were also reduced. In cardiac tissue, the beverage increased Nrf2 expression and antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD and CAT), while reducing lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and NF-κB expression. Plasma TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations decreased (p < 0.05). Fecal counts of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus increased, indicating modulation of gut microbiota. The fermented kefir-yacon beverage demonstrated antihypertensive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, suggesting its potential as a complementary nutritional strategy for managing hypertension.

Discussion

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Cite This Study

Moraes et al. (2026) studied Hypertension (experimental spontaneously hypertensive rat model) (n=40). Fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage (SKY) vs. Vehicle (deionized water) in SHR and Wistar rats, or unfermented yacon beverage in SHR was evaluated on Final systolic blood pressure (SBP) measured by tail plethysmography at 8 weeks (p=<0.05). Fermented kefir-yacon synbiotic beverage significantly reduced systolic blood pressure to 155.5 mmHg vs 176.8 mmHg in vehicle-treated hypertensive rats (p<0.05).

synapsesocial.com/papers/6af3463ebdf2424ebd04f7e4 https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.71598

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Synbiotic Kefir‐Yacon Drink Ameliorates Hypertension by Modulating Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Pathways

Figures

Key Points

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Synbiotic Kefir‐Yacon Drink Ameliorates Hypertension by Modulating Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Pathways

Figures

Key Points

Structured PICO

Main Result

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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