Maternal Garlic Oil Supplementation Prevents High-Fat Diet-Induced Hypertension in Adult Rat Offspring: Implications of H2S-Generating Pathway in the Gut and Kidneys

Scope: Perinatal high-fat (HF) diet induces hypertension in adult offspring. Garlic, a naturally dietary source of Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) donor, has been shown benefits in hypertension. The article examines whether maternal garlic oil supplementation can prevent hypertension induced by HF diet and elucidate its protective effects. Methods and results: Pregnant rats are given either a normal diet or HF diet. Rat dams are given garlic oil or vehicle daily by oral gavage at 100 mg kg^-1 day^-1 during pregnancy and lactation. Male offspring are sacrificed at 16 weeks of age. Garlic oil supplementation during pregnancy and lactation protected against hypertension induced by HF diet in adult male offspring. The beneficial effects of garlic oil are associated with increased renal mRNA expression and activity of H₂S-generating enzymes, increased NO bioavailability, increased plasma short chain fatty acid levels, and alterations of gut microbiota composition. Garlic oil supplementation increases abundance of genus Lactobacillus, but decreases genera Turicibacter and Staphylococcus. Conclusion: The data reveals associations between H₂S-generating pathway in the gut and kidneys, NO system, gut microbiota, and microbiota-derived metabolites in hypertension induced by HF intake and provide insight to garlic oil as a hypertension reprogramming strategy for further translational research.