We analyzed changes in angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in the aorta of hypertensive SHR rats against the background of age-related BP increase (from week 7 to 14) and the effect of dihydroquercetin on BP rise and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity. Normotensive WKY rats of the same age were used as the control. BP and activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme in the aorta of SHR rats increased with age. Dihydroquercetin in doses of 100 and 300 μg/kg per day had no effect on the increase of these parameters; dihydroquercetin administered to 14-week-old WKY rats in a dose of 300 μg/kg reduced activity of the angiotensin-converting enzyme. Thus, the early (7-14 weeks) increase in BP and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in the aorta of SHR rats was not modified by flavonoids (dihydroquercetin) in contrast to other rat strains and humans, which is indicative of specificity of hypertension mechanism in SHR rats.
Keywords: SHR; angiotensin-converting enzyme; aorta; dihydroquercetin; hypertension.