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 CSE can lower blood pressure through gut microbiota modulation. Spontaneously hypertensive rats received oral CSE for 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week drug-free observation. The treatment significantly reduced blood pressure, increased microbial diversity, decreased the IMPORTANCE: This study identifies corn silk extract (CSE) as a novel plant-derived prebiotic with antihypertensive effects mediated through gut microbiota modulation. Using a spontaneously hypertensive rat model, we demonstrated that CSE reshapes gut microbial composition, enhances microbial diversity, and promotes beneficial genera while reducing systemic inflammation and restoring nitric oxide (NO)-mediated vascular function. Importantly, fecal microbiota transplantation confirmed the causal role of gut microbiota in mediating these effects. These findings highlight a gut microbiota-inflammation-NO axis as a key pathway through which CSE regulates blood pressure. As a safe, accessible, and food-compatible intervention, CSE represents a promising strategy for non-pharmacological blood pressure management and broadens the application scope of prebiotics in cardiovascular health.