Antihypertensive effect of Cu and Mg enriched modified poultry egg Ψ on Zn-induced hypertension in Wistar rat

Abstract

Excessive bioavailability of Zn either due to genetic predisposition or its high concentration in diet has been linked to increase in the prevalence of hypertension (HT) implicating the resultant deficiencies of Cu and Mg as its cause in some populations. To combat their nutritional deficiencies, a modified poultry egg (ME(Psi)) was designed containing higher amounts of Cu, Mg and other antioxidants (vitamin E and linolenic acid) in their optimized concentrations. Prior to its human clinical trials, its efficacy was tested in Zn induced HT Wistar rat model in the present study. In one set, the rats were fed on equicaloric semi-synthetic basal diet containing 20 mg Zn/kg diet (control diet-I, control group-I), Zn-induced-hypertensive-diets-II and III (Zn-HT-diet-II and Zn-HT-diet-III) containing 40 and 80 mg Zn/kg diet (groups-II and III) for 180 days. In another set, the rats were initially fed Zn-HT-diet-II and Zn-HT-diet-III for 90 days and then shifted to ME(Psi) mixed Zn-HT-diet-II and III designated as groups-IIME and IIIME fed for another 90 days completing 180 days of feeding. The results revealed that increase in systolic pressure (SP) and heart rates (HR) were Zn concentration dependent and coincided well with higher serum Zn, Cu, Mg, aldosterone, cortisol, dyslipidemia and higher Zn, and low Cu and Mg concentrations in liver of groups-II and III rats. On feeding ME(Psi) mixed diets, a significant reduction in SP and HR were linked with decrease in serum Zn, Cu, Mg, aldosterone, cortisol and blood lipid profile along with fall in Zn and rise in Cu and Mg concentrations in liver of groups-IIME and IIIME approaching closer to control group-I. This study makes the basis for human clinical trials of ME(Psi) on HT patients who exhibit high Zn, Cu and Mg in their blood serum.