The study of anti-hypertensive effect of ellagitannin geraniin in a rat model of diet-induced obesity

Our group had previously reported that geraniin, an ellagitannin, induced a potent anti-hypertensive effect in a diet-induced obese animal model, accompanied by an improvement of blood glucose and lipid levels. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to further decipher the blood pressure-lowering mechanisms of geraniin. Indeed, we reported that geraniin supplementation effectively improved abnormal structural changes in the thoracic aorta by inhibiting the excessive production of superoxide radicals and the overactivation of circulating leukocytes. Besides, geraniin also successfully normalized the overexpression of genes involved in steroid and complement factor production in the gonadal adipose tissue. Altogether, this is the first time it was unraveled that geraniin might abrogate hypertensive vascular remodeling through modulating the bioactive factor production in the adipose tissue.