Lactococcus lactis NCDO2118 produces anti-hypertensive GABA and exerts acute hypotensive in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Gamma (γ)-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a molecule with nutraceutical interest since it is recognized for its health-promoting properties such as hypotensive effects. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been shown to be able to produce GABA. In the present investigation, Lactococcus (L.) lactis NCDO2118, a probiotic LAB, was cultured in a medium supplemented with different concentration of glutamate, the substrate for GABA production. This strain was evaluated in SHRSP (Spontaneously Hypertensive Stroke-Prone Rats) to assess its hypotensive effect. The evaluation showed that GABA production is variable depending on the glutamate concentration and incubation time and that the increased GABA production potentiates its hypotensive effect. This work demonstrates that L. lactis NCDO 2118 could be used as a tool for developing health-promoting foods, such as those enriched with GABA as an interesting and novel pharmacological strategy.