ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECT OF EXTRACTS OF LACTOBACILLUS-CASEI IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION

An extract of autologous Lactobacillus casei cell lysate (LEx) is know n to lower the blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) . To determine the effects of LEx in humans, we enrolled twenty-eight patients with an average age of seventy-one years and with an average systolic blood pressure/diastolic blood pressure of 164/96 mmHg in a 2 -month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Four hundred milligram s of LEx or placebo powder enclosed in white capsules was given twice a day for 2 months. Decreases in systolic blood pressure (p<0.01), dia stolic blood pressure (p<0.05), and heart rate (p<0.05) were observed in the LEx-treated group when compared with the baseline, As to the bl ood plasma component, both total cholesterol and fasting plasma glucos e were reduced (p<0.05) in the LEx-treated group, These findings suppo rt the role of LEx in the treatment of hypertension with beneficial ef fects on glucose and lipid metabolism.