The aim of this study was to determine the effect of vegetable leaf-fortified bread samples on blood pressure and heart rate after oral administration of their aqueous extracts to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Dried vegetable leaf powders were obtained from Amaranthus viridis (AO), Solanum macrocarpon (SM) and Telfairia occidentalis (TO) followed by incorporation into wheat four at 1, 2 and 3% (w/w). Leavened bread samples were baked using these composite flours (fortified bread) and compared with bread from 100% wheat flour (control bread). The bread samples were freeze-dried and extracted with water followed by analysis for total polyphenolic content (TPC), polyphenolic composition as well as inhibition of the in vitro activities of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and renin. The SHR were implanted with telemetry sensors, which enabled continuous recording of blood pressure and heart rate parameters in freely moving rats over a 24-h period. As expected the vegetable leaf-fortified bread samples had significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher TPC (5.8-7.6 mg gallic acid equivalent, GAE/g) when compared to that of control bread (5.5 mg GAE/g). Rutin, catechin, gallic acid, myricetin and caffeic acid were the main polyphenolic compounds detected in all the bread samples. The control bread exhibited significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher ACE inhibition (~24%) than the fortified bread samples (4-18%). In contrast, the fortified bread samples had significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher (up to 44.2%) renin inhibitory activity when compared to the control bread (5.9%). After oral administration (100 mg extract/kg body weight) to SHR, aqueous extracts of the fortified breads produced strong decreases (up to -42 mmHg) in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure, which is twice the effect (-20 mmHg) produced by the control bread. The fortified bread aqueous extracts also significantly (P &lt; 0.05) reduced the heart rate of SHR by up 102 beats per minute (bpm) when compared to 43 bpm for the control bread. The results indicate potential used of a common food staple such as bread to carry bioactive compounds that could ameliorate disease symptoms associated with hypertension.

Aqueous extracts of vegetable leaf-fortified bread reduce blood pressure and heart rate when orally administered to spontaneously hypertensive rats

2019 Fall National Meeting

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