Production of a wheat-based fermented rice enriched with γ-amino butyric acid using Lactobacillus plantarum MNZ and its antihypertensive effects in spontaneously hypertensive rats

• Lactobacillus plantarum enhanced ACE inhibitory, radical scavenging activities and GABA content of a wheat-based rice.
• The blood pressure and plasma norepinephrine of the rats improved upon feeding of diets containing GABA.
• The serum levels of TBARS and SOD activity of the rats improved upon feeding of diets containing GABA.
• Expression of endoteline-1 protein in the aorta of rats receiving the diet containing GABA was significantly lower.

This study aimed to develop and characterize a wheat-based fermented rice (dosa) with potential anti-hypertensive effects using γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing Lactobacillus plantarum. Results showed that lactic acid bacterial fermentation enhanced the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory, radical scavenging activities and the GABA content (143 mg/kg at 120 h fermentation) of the dosa. The rats in the in-vivo trial were fed experimental diets containing dosa (T1), fermented dosa (T2) or dosa + pure GABA (T3). The systolic blood pressure, aortic endoteline-1 protein, plasma norepinephrine, serum level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and superoxide dismutase activity indicated improvement upon feeding of the diets containing GABA. While, the blood chemistry variables were not significantly affected in this experiment. GABA-enriched fermented dosa could therefore be considered as a functional food with the promising blood-pressure lowering effect.