Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rank the top causes of death worldwide, with a substantial increase in women compared to men. Such increase can beexplained by the drastic decrease in 17-β-estradiol hormone during menopause and associated with endothelium-dependent vascular dysfunction. The current treatments for CVDs (e.g hypertension), are only palliative and therefore, feasible, non-invasive options for preventing further vascular damage are needed. The polyphenol ellagic acid (EA) has risen as a candidate with possible vascular protection properties. This study evaluated the effects of EA in small mesenteric arteries of ovariectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Our findings showed that EA oral treatment for four weeks preserved vasodilation endothelial-dependent in acetylcholine pre-constricted arteries of SHR to the same extent as 17-β-estradiol treatment, an effect that was abolished in the presence of the NOS inhibitor L-NAME. Moreover, EA induced vascular NO release, by increasing both the activitation site phosphorylation and total levels of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). Finally, EA decreased superoxide anion while increased total levels of the antioxidant enzymes SOD2 and catalase. We concluded that EA has vasodilation properties acting via eNOS activation and a potential antioxidant effect by stimulating the SOD2-catalase pathway.
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