FISH PROTEIN-RICH DIET ATTENUATES HYPERTENSION INDUCED BY DIETARY N-G-NITRO-L-ARGININE IN NORMOTENSIVE WISTAR-KYOTO RATS

1. Dietary 0.023% N-G-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, induced hypertension in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). This hypertension was significantly attenuated in WKY given a fish protein-rich diet. 2. The supplement of 2% L-arginine given in a standard diet or a diet containing 3% taurine for drinking did not significantly affect the development of hypertension induced by L-NNA in WKY. 3. WKY which received the standard diet mixed with 10% urea and 0.023% L-NNA had significantly attenuated hypertension compared with WKY receiving the standard diet mixed with 10% kaolin and 0.023% L-NNA. 4. These results suggest that the attenuation of hypertension in L-NNA-treated WKY rats given a fish protein rich diet may be partly caused by urea, a metabolic end-product of protein.