Abstract:Protein peptide tablets consisting of hydrolyzed casein peptides, natto powder, and elastin peptides were used in spontaneously hypertensive rats to investigate antihypertensive effects. The tablets were administered by oral gavage for 4 weeks and the responses in body weight, blood pressure, serum, and vascular tissue of the rats were examined. The protein peptide tablets improved body weight reduction in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Comparison with the control group indicated that protein peptide tablets lowered the content of angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) and aldosterone (ALD) and increased the content of calcitonin gene-related peptides (CGRP) in the serum by the 10th week of administration. Protein peptide tablets substantially lowered total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) content. The protein peptide tablets improved vascular wall thickening and elasticity in hypertensive rats while reducing the accumulation of immune cells in the vascular endothelium. Under the experimental conditions of this study, the protein peptide tablets had a marked antihypertensive effect but also improved the serum biochemical indicators and vascular function of spontaneously hypertensive rats.