Corn silk extract as a prebiotic exerts antihypertensive effects via gut microbiota modulation in hypertensive rats

Corn silk extract (CSE), a traditional medicinal food rich in polysaccharides, flavonoids, and saponins, has been used as a natural antihypertensive agent, but its mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether corn silk extract can lower blood pressure through gut microbiota modulation. Spontaneously hypertensive rats received oral corn silk extract for four weeks, followed by a four-week drug-free observation. The treatment significantly reduced systolic blood pressure, increased microbial diversity, decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and enriched beneficial genera such as Akkermansia and Lactobacillus. These changes were accompanied by reduced serum LPS and pro-inflammatory cytokines, elevated NO levels, and restored endothelial function. PERMANOVA and correlation analyses showed that microbiota and inflammatory markers were more strongly associated with blood pressure improvements than urinary indices. Structural equation modeling suggested a po..., , README: Corn silk extract as a prebiotic exerts antihypertensive effects via gut microbiota modulation in hypertensive rats

Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.34tmpg4w9

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1\. Overview of the dataset

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This dataset contains raw 16S rRNA gene sequencing data (paired-end FASTQ files) obtained from fecal samples of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) enrolled in a controlled intervention study evaluating the antihypertensive and microbiota-modulating effects of corn silk extract (CSE). Fecal samples were stored at −80°C prior to DNA extraction【32:L9-L9】.

Genomic DNA was extracted using the **QIAamp Fast DNA Stool Mini Kit (Qiagen)**【32:L9-L9】. The V3–V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was amplified using primers **338F (ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAG)** and **806R (GGACTACHVGGGTWTCTAAT)**【32:L17-L17】. Sequencing was performed on the **Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform (PE250 mode)**【2:L1-L1】.

All sequencing files incl...,