Effects of soy protein hydrolysate on blood pressure and angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in rats with chronic renal failure

We investigated the effects of soy protein and soy protein hydrolysate on blood pressure control, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity, and renal function in a rat chronic renal failure model. Rats that had undergone a 5/6 nephrOctomy were separated into three groups and fed different experimental diets for 14 weeks. At the end of the study, rats that fed a diet containing soy protein as the protein source had better blood pressure control and renal function, as well as lower circulating ACE activity and renal tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration than rats fed a caseln protein diet. Soy protein hydrolysate was shown to be as effective as say protein In preventing the elevation of blood pressure, the progression of renal failure, and decreases in kidney TNP-α level, plasma ACE activity, and insulin concentration, In conclusion, the beneficial effects of consuming soy protein on blood pressure and renal function may be mediated mostly by its pepsin-digested hydrolyeate through its ACE inhibitory activity.