ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECT OF MUNG BEAN SPROUT EXTRACTS IN SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

We investigated the efficacy of mung bean sprout in reducing hypertension. Different dosages of raw sprout extract (RSE) or dried sprout extracts (DSE) and enzyme-digested sprout extracts were used in a single intragastric administration test to examine the short-term effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Results indicated that high doses (600 mg peptide/kg body weight) extracts significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) of the rats after administration for 6-9, 3-6 and 3-9 h, respectively. Plasma angiotensin I-converting enzyme activities in the treated rats also decreased. A long-term (1 month) intervention study that consists of treatment groups of fresh sprout powder, dried sprout powder and concentrated extracts of the sprouts (RSE and DSE, respectively) was carried out. Results indicated that the sprout powders were not as efficacious as concentrated sprout extracts. SBP of the rats in the RSE and DSE groups were significantly reduced during the intervention period from week 1-4 and week 2-4, respectively. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The results suggested that although fresh and low doses of mung bean sprout or sprout extracts did not have apparent antihypertensive effects, high doses of sprout extracts significantly decreased blood pressure in the experimental animals. Therefore, concentrated mung bean sprout juice has potential applications in the preventive management of hypertension. It might be utilized for physiologically functional food with antihypertensive activity.