Yeast carboxymethyl-glucan improves endothelial function and inhibits platelet aggregation in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Abstract

Carboxymethyl-glucan is a semi-synthetic derivative of β-D-glucan, a polysaccharide widely found in several natural sources, such as yeast, fungi, and cereals. This compound has beneficial effects on health and is considered an important immunomodulator. However, studies exploring carboxymethyl-glucan bioactivity in cardiovascular health remain lacking, mainly in hypertension. Thus, this study sought to expand understanding of the effects of carboxymethyl-glucan on vascular and platelet functions in a hypertensive animal model. Spontaneously hypertensive rats and their normotensive Wistar-Kyoto controls were assigned to five groups: control, carboxymethyl-glucan (60 mg kg⁻¹), control spontaneously hypertensive rats, spontaneously hypertensive rats carboxymethyl-glucan (20 mg kg⁻¹), and spontaneously hypertensive rats carboxymethyl-glucan (60 mg kg⁻¹). Animals were treated for four weeks with carboxymethyl-glucan at doses of 20 and 60 mg kg⁻¹ orally, and control rats received saline as a placebo. Vascular reactivity, platelet aggregation, and reactive oxygen species production were evaluated at the end of treatment. The results showed that carboxymethyl-glucan improved vascular function and reduced platelet aggregation, mainly at a 60 mg kg⁻¹ dose. However, despite these effects, there was no reduction in levels of reactive oxygen species. These findings suggested that carboxymethyl-glucan modulates endothelial function. It also acts as a platelet antiaggregant, which is an interesting resource for managing hypertension and its thrombotic complications.