Blueberry-enriched diet improves glutathione activity in hypertensive rats.

<p>Glutathione activities were assessed in renal cortical and medullary tissues of rats fed a control diet or a blueberry-enriched diet for 6 weeks (A) or 12 weeks (B). ^*p<0.05; ^** p<0.01; ^*** p<0.001.</p

Renal hemodynamic indices in control- or blueberry-fed rats after 6 weeks or 12 weeks of feeding.

<p>Abbreviations used: WC  =  WKY corn-fed, WBB  =  WKY blueberry-fed, SC  =  SHRSP corn fed, SBB  =  SHRSP blueberry-fed, GFR  =  glomerular filtration rate, RBF  =  renal blood flow, RVR  =  renal vascular resistance, KW  =  kidney weight, Cr  =  creatinine, FE_Na  =  fractional excretion of sodium.</p><p>*p≤0.05 vs. WC;</p>#<p>p≤0.05 vs. SC;</p>$<p>p≤0.05 vs. SBB.</p

Catalase and total glutathione (GSH) levels as measured by colorimetric assays in tissues of control- or blueberry-fed rats after 2 days of feeding.

<p>Abbreviations used: WC  =  WKY corn-fed, WBB  =  WKY blueberry-fed, SC  =  SHRSP corn fed, SBB  =  SHRSP blueberry-fed, GSH  =  glutathione.</p

Blueberry-enriched diet delays the progression of hypertension.

<p>Mean arterial and systolic blood pressures were assessed in rats fed a control diet or a blueberry-enriched diet for 6 weeks (A) or 12 weeks (B). ^* p<0.05 vs. SC; ^† p<0.05 vs. SBB.</p

Blueberry-enriched diet improves renal pathology in hypertensive rats fed for 12 weeks.

<p>Trichrome-stained kidney sections were evaluated by a veterinary pathologist who was blinded to experimental conditions. In all four 12-week groups, the amount of interstitial, periarterial, and periglomerular fibrosis was greater than at six weeks. The SC rat kidneys (C) had severe arterial changes, with evidence of hypoxia. Kidneys from the SC rats also had the most severe fibrosis, arterial myointimal hyperplasia, tubular degeneration and necrosis, and evidence of hemoglobin and proteinaceous casts. The SBB rat kidneys (D) did exhibit arterial myointimal hyperplasia, though it was much less severe. Kidneys of WC (A) and WBB (B) rats fed for 12 weeks exhibited much less severe changes, but showed the same trends. Scale bar  =  200 um. F  =  fibrosis, H  =  vascular smooth muscle hypertrophy, T  =  organizing thrombus, D  =  tubular degeneration and ectasia, and M  =  glomerular parietal metaplasia.</p

Blueberry-enriched diet improves catalase activity in hypertensive rats.

<p>Catalase activities were assessed in renal cortical and medullary tissues of rats fed a control diet or a blueberry-enriched diet for 6 weeks (A) or 12 weeks (B). ^*p<0.05; ^** p<0.01; ^*** p<0.001.</p

Total ROS, superoxide, and peroxynitrite production rates as measured by EPR in tissues of control- or blueberry-fed rats after 2 days of feeding.

<p>Abbreviations used: WC  =  WKY corn-fed, WBB  =  WKY blueberry-fed, SC  =  SHRSP corn fed, SBB  =  SHRSP blueberry-fed, ROS  =  reactive oxygen species.</p

Urine and tissue nitrate/nitrite levels as measured by colorimetric assay in control- or blueberry-fed rats after 6 or 12 weeks of feeding.

<p>Abbreviations used: WC  =  WKY corn-fed, WBB  =  WKY blueberry-fed, SC  =  SHRSP corn fed, SBB  =  SHRSP blueberry-fed, NOx  =  nitrate/nitrite.</p><p>*p≤0.05 vs. WC;</p>#<p>p≤0.05 vs. SC;</p>$<p>p≤0.05 vs. SBB.</p

Total ROS, superoxide, and peroxynitrite production rates as measured by EPR in tissues of control- or blueberry-fed rats after 6 or 12 weeks of feeding.

<p>Abbreviations used: WC  =  WKY corn-fed, WBB  =  WKY blueberry-fed, SC  =  SHRSP corn fed, SBB  =  SHRSP blueberry-fed, ROS  =  reactive oxygen species.</p><p>*p≤0.05 vs. WC;</p>#<p>p≤0.05 vs. SC;</p>$<p>p≤0.05 vs. SBB.</p

Blueberry-enriched diet improves renal pathology in hypertensive rats fed for 6 weeks.

<p>Trichrome-stained kidney sections were evaluated by a veterinary pathologist who was blinded to experimental conditions. Kidneys from (A) WC and (B) WBB rats exhibited similar histological appearance, with mild pathologic changes. Kidneys from (C) SC rats exhibited greater incidence and severity of pathologic change, while kidneys from (D) SBB rats exhibited very little pathologic change. Scale bar  =  200 um. F  =  fibrosis, H  =  vascular smooth muscle hypertrophy, D  =  tubular degeneration and ectasia, and M  =  glomerular parietal metaplasia.</p