Effects of milk casein hydrolyzate supplemented with phytosterols on hypertension and lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic hypertensive rats

•Casein hydrolyzate plus phytosterols reduced hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.•The effects on vascular reactivity and cardiac hypertrophy were due to hydrolyzate.•Phytosterols were responsible for the lipid profile and liver damage improvements.•The reduction of oxidative stress by hydrolyzate was increased by phytosterols. This study investigates the beneficial effect of a milk casein hydrolyzate supplemented with phytosterols in hypercholesterolemic hypertensive rats. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed for 8weeks with standard diet, or high cholesterol diet alone and supplemented with casein hydrolyzate or casein hydrolyzate plus phytosterols. Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff method, vascular reactivity was performed on isolated aorta and biochemical parameters were evaluated in plasma. The hypercholesterolemic diet caused elevation of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, atherogenic index, lipid peroxidation, liver size and hepatic steatosis accompanied with a severe reduction of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The treatment with the casein hydrolyzate reduced blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy and oxidative stress, and improved the endothelial function. The incorporation of phytosterols prevented the changes caused by the hypercholesterolemic diet and increased the antioxidant effect of casein hydrolyzate. In conclusion, treatment with milk casein hydrolyzate supplemented with phytosterols provides benefits when coexisting hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.