Anti-hypertensive Effect of Salt-free Fermented Soy Paste in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract

In the present study, we investigated the effects of salt-free fermented soy paste on hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR/Izm were fed a diet containing 0％, 2.5％, 5％ or 10％ salt-free fermented soy paste for 10 weeks. A significant increase in blood pressure was observed in all groups during the experimental period. However, systolic blood pressure in SHR/Izm fed salt-free fermented soy paste was significantly lower than in the control group at 3 weeks after the start of the experiment. At 9 weeks, SHR/Izm fed the diet containing 2.5％, 5％ or 10％ salt-free fermented soy paste showed significantly lower diastolic blood pressure than the control group. No distinct dose-dependency was observed in the blood pressure-lowering effect of the salt-free fermented soy paste. Additionally, there were no remarkable differences in blood biochemistry parameters among the groups. Our findings indicate that a diet with at least 2.5％ salt-free fermented soy paste clearly attenuated the increase in blood pressure in SHR/Izm, suggesting that consumption of salt-free fermented soy paste can have a potentially beneficial effect on hypertension.