The involvement of endothelial-relaxing factors on the vascular and antihypertensive effects of a cocoa
fiber product (CFP) obtained from cocoa husks was studied. We carried out in vitro experiments with
aorta rings from untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and in vivo experiments with SHR.
CFP did not relax the endothelium denuded aorta rings and NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)
partially blocked the vascular relaxing and antihypertensive effects of CFP. Nevertheless, indomethacin
did not modify these effects. Nitric oxide mediates therefore the antihypertensive and aorta relaxing
effects of CFP in SHR.