Nitric oxide mediates the antihypertensive and vascular relaxing effects of a soluble cocoa fiber product in spontaneously hypertensive rats

摘要

The involvement of endothelial-relaxing factors on the vascular and antihypertensive effects of a cocoafiber product (CFP) obtained from cocoa husks was studied. We carried out in vitro experiments with aorta ringsfrom untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in vivo experiments with SHR. CFP did not relax theendothelium denuded aorta rings and NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) partially blocked the vascularrelaxing and antihypertensive effects of CFP. Nevertheless, indomethacin did not modify these effects. Nitricoxide mediates therefore the antihypertensive and aorta relaxing effects of CFP in SHR.