Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Huotan Jiedu Tongluo Decoction as an Antihypertensive Drug
Published on: May 17, 2024
Potential Impact of Bioactive Peptides from Foods in the Treatment of Hypertension
Natalia Ichim1, Francisco Marín2, Esteban Orenes-Piñero1,3
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology-A, University of Murcia, Murcia, 30071, Spain.
Insights
Food-derived bioactive peptides show potential for managing high blood pressure (BP). These natural compounds, particularly those with specific molecular characteristics, offer a promising alternative for hypertension treatment and prevention.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- High blood pressure (BP) is a primary preventable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
- Hypertension (HT) management faces challenges due to patient non-responsiveness to pharmacological treatments and adverse side effects.
- Research is exploring natural alternatives for hypertension control and prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of food-derived bioactive peptides in managing hypertension (HT).
- To identify characteristics of effective antihypertensive peptides.
- To assess the potential of these peptides in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and pharmaceuticals.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across various scientific databases.
- Forty relevant articles were selected for analysis.
- Mechanisms of action, peptide characteristics, and study methodologies were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition is the predominant mechanism of action for antihypertensive peptides.
- Optimal antihypertensive activity is associated with biopeptides <3 kDa, <20 amino acids, and specific hydrophobic sequences.
- These peptides demonstrate good stability, low toxicity, and are evaluated through in vitro, in vivo, and limited in silico/human studies.
Conclusions:
- Food-derived bioactive peptides represent a promising natural avenue for hypertension management.
- These peptides hold significant potential for development into functional foods, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic drugs.
- Further research, including clinical trials, is warranted to fully realize their therapeutic benefits.
Scope:
High blood pressure (BP) is the main preventable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Much research is aimed at finding natural alternatives to control or prevent hypertension (HT), since some hypertensive patients do not respond to current pharmacological treatments or show undesirable side effects.
Methods And Results:
Forty relevant articles have been selected from various scientific literature databases. The results reveal that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition is the most reported mechanism of action of antihypertensive peptides. The active peptides have a great variety of origins. Biopeptides with a molecular weight of <3 kDa, short chain <20 amino acids, and a hydrophobic amino acid sequence at the C- and N-terminus exhibit higher antihypertensive activity. They also show good stability to enzymatic hydrolysis and gastrointestinal digestion, and no toxicity. To determine antihypertensive effectiveness, in vitro and in vivo animal studies are the most frequent developed, with few in silico studies and only one human clinical trial.
Conclusion:
There is interesting potential for antihypertensive peptides as promising natural candidates for the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals and drugs for preventive or therapeutic treatment of hypertension. The aim of this review is to study the role of food-derived bioactive peptides in HT.
More Related Videos
11:36A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood
Published on: April 28, 2016
12:00Extraction and Purification of Polyphenols from Freeze-dried Berry Powder for the Treatment of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro
Published on: July 5, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors
Antihypertensive Drugs: Action of β1 Blockers
Hormonal Regulation of Blood Pressure
Epinephrine and Norepinephrine
The adrenal medulla releases epinephrine and norepinephrine, catecholamines that enhance and extend the sympathetic or "fight or flight" physiological response. These hormones escalate heart rate and the force of contraction...
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
Antihypertensive Drugs: Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme...