1992 Volume 45 Issue 6 Pages 519-522
The activity of heat-treated cells of Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 (FK-23 preparation) isolated fromthe intestine of a healthy human on systolic blood pressure (SBP) was investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). A significant reduction of high SBP was observed after oral administration of the FK-23 preparation for 7 days at 60 or 120mg/day·rat. SBP ramained blow 200-210mmHg, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (220-230mmHg), over 21 consecutive days of oral administration (p<0.05). This antihypertensive activity was dose-dependent, and the SBP rose again to the control level 14 days after cessation of FK-23 administration. Twenty-eight days of FK-23 administration at 120mg/day·rat followed by 270 days at 240mg/day·rat resulted in an uninterrupted reduction of high SBP. At autopsy, the control group had myocardial hypertrophy whereas the FK-23 preparation-treated group did not. These data indicate that oral administration of this FK-23 preparation may reduce SBP dosedependently over a long period and may prevent the accompanying myocardial hypertrophy.
