Captopril in the treatment of clinical hypertension and cardiac failure

One-week antihypertensive effect of Ile-Gln-Pro in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The antihypertensive effect of an angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide Ile-Gln-Pro (IQP), whose sequence was derived from Spirulina platensis , was investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) for 1 week. The weighted systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of the peptide IQP-treated group were significantly lower than those of the negative control group from the third and fourth days, respectively. Accompanying the blood pressure reduction, a significant regulation of the expression of major components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was found in the treatment group, including downregulation of the mRNA levels of renin, ACE, and the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor in the kidney, as well as serum angiotensinogen (Ang), ACE, and angiotensin II (Ang II) concentrations. The treatment group also showed upregulation of mRNA expression of the angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor in the kidney. Our findings suggested that IQP might be of potential use in the treatment of hypertension.

Potential beneficial effects of marine algal sterols on human health

The importance of bioactive derivatives as functional ingredients has been well recognized due to their valuable health beneficial effects. Therefore, isolation and characterization of novel functional ingredients with biological activities from marine algae have gained much attention. Sterols are important structural component of cell membranes. It has been reported that plant sterols exhibit various beneficial biological activities such as hypercholesterolemic, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial activities. Marine algae with a great diversity can be a very interesting natural resource of sterols. This chapter focuses on biological activities of marine algae derived sterols with potential health beneficial applications in functional foods and pharmaceuticals.

Phlorotannins from Ecklonia cava (Phaeophyceae): biological activities and potential health benefits

The importance of bioactive derivatives as functional ingredients has been well recognized due to their valuable health beneficial effects. Therefore, isolation and characterization of novel functional ingredients with biological activities from seaweeds have gained much attention. Ecklonia cava Kjellman is an edible seaweed, which has been recognized as a rich source of bioactive derivatives mainly, phlorotannins. These phlorotannins exhibit various beneficial biological activities such as antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, antihypertensive, matrix metalloproteinase enzyme inhibition, hyaluronidase enzyme inhibition, radioprotective, and antiallergic activities. This review focuses on biological activities of phlorotannins with potential health beneficial applications in functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals.

Isolation of an antihypertensive peptide from alcalase digest of Spirulina platensis

An angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide Ile-Gln-Pro with an IC(50) value of 5.77 +/- 0.09 microM was purified from the alcalase digests of Spirulina platensis by gel filtration chromatography and two steps of reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The peptide was synthesized and showed resistance to in vitro digestion by gastrointestinal proteases. Kinetics studies indicated that the peptide was a noncompetitive inhibitor and that the K(i) value was 7.61 +/- 0.16 microM. Oral administration of Ile-Gln-Pro at a dosage of 10 mg/kg showed significant decreases of the weighted systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at 4, 6, and 8 h after treatment. The results showed that the ACE inhibitory peptide from Spirulina platensis may have potential for use in the prevention and treatment of hypertension.

Angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors from marine resources: prospects in the pharmaceutical industry

Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the major independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (EC 3.4.15.1; ACE) plays an important physiological role in regulation of blood pressure by converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor. Therefore, the inhibition of ACE activity is a major target in the prevention of hypertension. Recently, the search for natural ACE inhibitors as alternatives to synthetic drugs is of great interest to prevent several side effects and a number of novel compounds such as bioactive peptides, chitooligosaccharide derivatives (COS) and phlorotannins have been derived from marine organisms as potential ACE inhibitors. These inhibitory derivatives can be developed as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals with potential to prevent hypertension. Hence, the aim of this review is to discuss the marine-derived ACE inhibitors and their future prospects as novel therapeutic drug candidates for treat hypertension.

Purification and characterization of angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from the rotifer, Brachionus rotundiformis

Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide was isolated from the marine rotifer, Brachionus rotundiformis. ACE inhibitory peptides were separated from rotifer hydrolysate prepared by Alcalase, alpha-chymotrypsin, Neutrase, papain, and trypsin. The Alcalase hydrolysate had the highest ACE inhibitory activity compared to the other hydrolysates. The IC(50) value of Alcalase hydrolysate for ACE inhibitory activity was 0.63 mg/ml. We attempted to isolate ACE inhibitory peptides from Alcalase prepared rotifer hydrolysate using gel filtration on a Sephadex G-25 column and high performance liquid chromatography on an ODS column. The IC(50) value of purified ACE inhibitory peptide was 9.64 microM, and Lineweaver-Burk plots suggest that the peptide purified from rotifer protein acts as a competitive inhibitor against ACE. Amino acid sequence of the peptide was identified as Asp-Asp-Thr-Gly-His-Asp-Phe-Glu-Asp-Thr-Gly-Glu-Ala-Met, with a molecular weight 1538 Da. The results of this study suggest that peptides derived from rotifers may be beneficial as anti-hypertension compounds in functional foods resource.

Antinuclear and antinative DNA antibodies during captopril treatment

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) developed in 13 out of 78 patients treated with captopril for a mean period of 11 months. In another 11 patients, who were ANA-positive before captopril therapy, no increase in ANA titer was observed during treatment. Neither the development nor the presence of ANA before captopril treatment were associated with (drug-induced) lupus erythematosus or increased incidence of clinical side-effects, although development of ANA was accompanied by a serum-sickness-like syndrome in one patient. The ANA were mainly of the IgM class, did not fix complement and were transiently present. In three patients, antinative DNA antibodies, exclusively of IgM class and not complement-fixing, were transiently present without clinical signs of systemic lupus erythematosus, although recurrence of these antibodies was associated with slight proteinuria in one of them.

Long-term effects of captopril and atenolol in essential hypertension

Fifty patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension were randomized (double-blindly) to treatment with either captopril (n = 26) or atenolol (n = 24). Their mean supine diastolic blood pressure after placebo was 100-125 mmHg. The study included an initial dose finding phase (12 weeks) during which the dosages of captopril and atenolol were increased stepwise every second week in order to obtain normotension (supine diastolic blood pressure less than 95 mmHg). Hydrochlorothiazide was added when necessary. During the second phase of the study the patients were followed on active treatment for 2 years. After the initial 12 weeks of active treatment, recumbent and standing blood pressures had fallen significantly both in the captopril group (by 31/20 and 33/19 mmHg, p less than 0.001) and in the atenolol group (by 24/18 and 30/20 mmHg, p less than 0.01 (systolic), p less than 0.001 (diastolic)). The antihypertensive effect was maintained in both groups during long-term treatment. The antihypertensive effect of both agents was potentiated to the same extent by addition of hydrochlorothiazide. Side-effects were few and mild. It can be concluded that both captopril and atenolol are safe and effective antihypertensive drugs.

Sustained antihypertensive effect of captopril combined with diuretics and beta-adrenergic blocking drugs in patients with resistant hypertension

Ten patients with severe hypertension and unsatisfactory blood pressure control during combined therapy with beta-adrenergic blocking drugs, diuretics, and vasodilators were treated with gradually increasing doses of captopril. Vasodilators were discontinued 24 hours prior to captopril administration. Six patients had essential, two renal, and two renovascular hypertension. Mild renal impairment was observed in four patients. Captopril effectively decreased blood pressure for 3 hours in all patients after the first dose. The antihypertensive effect appeared to be triphasic and was sustained in all but one patient during 12 months of observation. Captopril doses of 25-75 mg t.i.d. were sufficient to achieve acceptable blood pressure control (RR less than or equal to 160/100 mmHg) when given in the above mentioned combination. Side-effects were few and tolerable and discontinuation of captopril was not required.

Captopril, an orally active converting enzyme inhibitor, in the treatment of primary hypertension. A controlled long-term study with reference to initial plasma renin activity

Captopril (SQ 14 225), an orally active inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme, was evaluated in the treatment of primary (essential) hypertension in a placebo-controlled long-term study. In 24 patients allocated to captopril treatment, mean supine BP fell from 174 +/- 18/110 +/- 7 to 151 +/- 22/96 +/- 12 mmHg. Ten patients achieved a supine diastolic BP of less than or equally 90 mmHg with a mean BP fall of 28/22 mmHg after 4 weeks' captopril dose titration (75-450 mg daily). In 14 patients, BP fell 19/9 mmHg. When hydrochlorothiazide (50-100 mg daily) was subsequently added, a total supine BP reduction of 51/20 mmHg was noted. In the placebo control group (n = 16), BP changed +1/-2 mmHg from 171/110 mmHg while addition of hydrochlorothiazide caused a mean supine BP fall of 19/10 mmHg. During long-term follow-up (mean 11.8 months), no resistance to therapy developed. A weak correlation, (p less than 0.05) was seen between pretreatment plasma renin activity and initial captopril-induced BP reduction. However, in patients with clearly defined low renin hypertension, the hypotensive effect of captopril was much less than in patients with higher renin values. Captopril induced a significant decrease in urinary aldosterone excretion, which was partially reversed by addition of hydrochlorothiazide. Observed side-effects were proteinuria (1 case), rash (2 cases) and taste disturbances (3 cases). During long-term follow-up, seven patients have dropped out, four due to side-effects and three because of non-compliance.

Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of cooked eggs

Egg proteins are an excellent source of bioactive peptides. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of cooking methods on the production of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides. Boiled or fried eggs (in the forms of whites, yolks, and whole eggs) were digested by gastrointestinal tract proteases at simulated gut conditions. Fried egg digests showed more potent activity than those of boiled egg digests; the fried whole egg digest had an IC(50) value of 0.009 mg protein/mL. This hydrolysate was further purified by cation exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. Seven peptides, Val-Asp-Phe (IC(50): 6.59 microM), Leu-Pro-Phe (10.59 microM), Met-Pro-Phe (17.98 microM), Tyr-Thr-Ala-Gly-Val (23.38 microM), Glu-Arg-Tyr-Pro-Ile (8.76 microM), Ile-Pro-Phe (8.78 microM), and Thr-Thr-Ile (24.94 microM), were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and their IC(50) values were predicted by using our previously reported structure and activity models. The presence of several tripeptides from in vitro simulated gastrointestinal egg digest indicates that these peptides may be absorbed into the body and exert an in vivo antihypertensive activity, although in vivo study is needed to confirm this assumption. Our results showed that in vitro digestion of cooked eggs could generate a number of potent ACE inhibitory peptides which may have implications for cardiovascular disease prevention, including hypertension.

Pilot and plant scaled production of ACE inhibitory hydrolysates from Acetes chinensis and its in vivo antihypertensive effect

The angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory oligopeptide-enriched hydrolysates from Acetes chinensis by treatment with the protease from Bacillus sp. SM98011 were produced at pilot scale (100 L) and plant scale (1000 L). The pilot and plant scaled hydrolysate products almost had the same properties as that at laboratory scale. Spray-drying had little effect on the peptide composition and bioactivity of the hydrolysates. The plant scaled hydrolysates were used to study its blood pressure-depressing effect in vivo. It caused reduce of 18.3-38.6 mmHg of the blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats in dose-dependent manner in the range of 100-1,200 mg/kg/day. Histopathologic study showed that the pathologic changes of heart and brain in SHRs got obvious alleviation after treatment of the hydrolysates.

Pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme and its inhibition: a historical survey

Angiotensin-converting enzyme, the peptidase hydrolysing angiotensin I to angiotensin II and first discovered in plasma, has been demonstrated in lung tissue on the luminal surface of endothelial cells lining pulmonary blood vessels. Because converting enzyme is the final activating step in the renin-angiotensin system its inhibition prevents the pressor and other effects of increased renin secretion. Lung converting enzyme activity is inhibited specifically by a nonapeptide (BPP9a:SQ 20 881) contained in Bothrops jararaca venom. This peptide inhibits the pressor effects of injected angiotensin I in humans and lowers blood pressure in patients with high-renin hypertension. Recently a synthetic inhibitor, captopril, was devised which is effective, given orally, in reducing the blood pressure of high-renin hypertensives and of a proportion of hypertensives with normal renin levels. The latter finding suggests that blood pressure may be maintained by renin-dependent mechanisms without increased renin secretion.

Antihypertensive effect of angiotensin i converting enzyme-inhibitory peptide from hydrolysates of Bigeye tuna dark muscle, Thunnus obesus

Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide was isolated from tuna dark muscle hydrolysate prepared by alcalase, neutrase, pepsin, papain, alpha-chymotrypsin, and trypsin, respectively. Among hydrolysates, the pepsin-derived hydrolysate exhibited the highest ACE I inhibitory activity versus those of other enzyme hydrolysates. The structure of the peptide was identified to be Trp-Pro-Glu-Ala-Ala-Glu-Leu-Met-Met-Glu-Val-Asp-Pro (molecular weight 1581 Da) by time of flight mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry analysis, and the IC 50 value of the peptide was 21.6 microM. The Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed that the peptide acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor, and the inhibitor constant ( K i) was calculated as 26.6 microM using the secondary plots. The peptide had an antihypertensive effect according to the time-course measurement after oral administration to spontaneously hypertensive rats. Maximal reduction was detected 3 h after oral administration at a dose of 10 mg/kg of body weight. These results suggest that the peptide derived from tuna dark muscle would be a beneficial ingredient for functional food or pharmaceuticals against hypertension and its related diseases.

Analysis of novel angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides from protease-hydrolyzed marine shrimp Acetes chinensis

Acetes chinensis is an underutilized shrimp species thriving in the Bo Hai Gulf of China. In a previous study, we had used the protease from Bacillus sp. SM98011 to digest this kind of shrimp and found that the oligopeptide-enriched hydrolysate possessed antioxidant activity and high angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 0.97 mg/ml. In this paper, by ultrafiltration, gel permeation chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), five peptides with high ACE inhibitory activity were purified from the shrimp hydrolysates and their sequences were identified by amino acid composition analysis and molecular weight (MW) analysis. Three of them, FCVLRP (a), IFVPAF (f) and KPPETV (j), were novel ACE inhibitory peptides. Their IC50 values were 12.3 microM, 3.4 microM and 24.1 microM, respectively, and their recoveries were 30 mg/100 g (solid basis of shrimp), 19 mg/100 g and 33 mg/100 g, respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plots for the three novel peptides showed that they are all competitive inhibitors. To test the ACE inhibitory activity of peptide a, f, j after they were digested by digestive enzymes in vivo, 12 derived peptides from FCVLRP and IFVPAF were synthesized based on their amino acid sequences and the cleavage sites of digestive enzymes. No digestive enzyme cleavage site was found in KPPETV. The IC50 values of the derived peptides were determined and the result showed that except for VPAF, FC and FCVL, the ACE inhibitory activity of the other nine derived peptides did not significantly change when compared with their original peptides. Surprisingly, five peptides had lower IC50 values than their original peptides, particularly for RP (IC50 value = 0.39 microM), which is about 30 times lower than its original peptide and almost the lowest IC50 value for ACE inhibitory peptides reported. Therefore, the novel peptides identified from A. chinensis hydrolysates probably still maintain a high ACE inhibitory activity even if they are digested in vivo. This is the first report about novel ACE inhibitory peptides from hydrolysates of marine shrimp A. chinensis. The novel peptides from hydrolysate of A. chinensis and some of their derived peptides with high ACE inhibitory activity probably have potential in the treatment of hypertension or in clinical nutrition.

Isolation and characterization of angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from porcine hemoglobin

Animal blood is potentially an untapped source of drugs and value-added food production. More than 400 million pigs are slaughtered each year but porcine blood is usually discarded in China. This study describes the isolation and characterization of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides derived from porcine hemoglobin. The most active hydrolysate was obtained from the peptic digestion of porcine hemoglobin. After the purification of ACE-inhibitory peptides with Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) on C(18) column, two active fractions were obtained. They were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). They were LGFPTTKTYFPHF and VVYPWT, corresponding to the 34-46 fragment of the alpha chain and the 34-39 fragment of the beta chain of porcine hemoglobin, with IC(50) values of 4.92 and 6.02 microM, respectively. They were the first found from porcine hemoglobin; in particular, LGFPTTKTYFPHF was a novel ACE-inhibitory peptide. In addition, the purified ACE inhibitors both competitively inhibited ACE, and maintained inhibitory activity even after incubation with gastrointestinal proteases. This suggests that these peptides might have a potential antihypertensive effect.

Determination of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory activity by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-mass spectrometry

A sensitive and rapid method for determination of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was developed based on a combination of enzymatic reaction followed by high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) determination of its product. The most commonly used substrate hippuryl-histidyl-leucine (HHL) or hippuryl-glycyl-glycine (HGG) hydrolysis catalyzed by purified rabbit lung ACE or human plasma ACE was investigated in the presence of benazeprilat. The incubation time was 8 min for purified lung ACE, and 16 min for human plasma ACE. The produced hippuric acid (HA) was separated from substrate HHL or HGG by HPLC on a C(18) column with isocratic elution within 6.5 min, and quantified by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) with p-phthalic acid as an internal standard (IS). The limit of detection of HA was 6.0 ng/ml. HHL or HGG hydrolysis catalyzed by purified lung ACE displayed excellent accuracy and reproducibility. The small total reaction volume, the low concentration of substrate, and the simple treating procedures present the advantages of the new method. Furthermore, the total time of the whole procedure for one sample with the novel method is less than 1/2 of that of the conventional HPLC or spectrophotometry method, while the accuracy and the precision of the new method are almost the same as the conventional HPLC method with UV detection.

Angiotensin II-receptor antagonist in the treatment of hypertension

Effective treatment of high blood pressure levels represents a crucial point in reducing global cardiovascular risk, and several studies have clearly demonstrated a significant reduction in cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality with a more intensive blood pressure-lowering treatment. Other factors beyond blood pressure control may be important in reducing the risk related to hypertension. Pharmacologic agents blocking the renin-angiotensin system, in particular the angiotensin II-receptor blocker (ARB), a novel class of antihypertensive agents, represent an important addition to the therapeutic options for hypertension management, and recent large, international, randomized, trials have demonstrated that ARBs have clinical benefits across the spectrum of disease severity. In this article, we provide some evidence derived from these trials, supporting a role for ARBs in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular and renal disease, beyond blood pressure control.

Captopril-induced bilateral parotid and submandibular sialadenitis

Two cases of sialadenitis following treatment with captopril are described. In case 1, an upper chest and facial erythema and dryness of the mouth accompanied the swelling of the salivary glands. In case 2, a conjunctival erythema accompanied the sialadenitis. None of the patients had previously used captopril, and, in both cases, the swelling occurred within the first hour after the drug intake; the patients had a complete recovery within a few hours after captopril was withdrawn. It is possible that the reported effect was caused by a type-B idiosyncratic adverse drug reaction.

Angiotensin II AT2 receptor subtype: an uprising frontier in cardiovascular disease?

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of fluid, electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and is a modulator of cellular growth and proliferation. Biological actions of RAS are linked to the binding of the effector molecule, angiotensin II (AngII), to specific membrane receptors, mostly the AT1 subtype and, to a lesser extent, other subtypes. Following the identification and characterization of the AT2 subtype receptor, it has been proposed that a complex interaction between AngII and its receptors may play an important role in the effects of RAS. In this paper current information on AngII subtype receptors--their structure, regulation and intracellular signalling--are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the potential relevance for cardiovascular pathophysiology. In addition, we discuss modulation of expression of the AT2 receptor and its interaction with the AT1 receptor subtype, as well as the potential effects of this receptor on blood pressure regulation. A better understanding of the integrated effects of the AngII subtype receptors may help to elucidate the function of the RAS, as well as their participation in the mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and attendant therapeutic implications.

Adverse dermatologic effects of cardiovascular drug therapy: part II

Cardiovascular disease is common, affecting an increasing number of persons as the population ages. To combat this growing health problem, physicians use a multitude of medications in the treatment of their patients. Although pharmacologic therapy greatly enhances quality of life for a majority of patients, there is always the potential for an unfavorable reaction. For example, cardiovascular drugs can induce a vast array of adverse dermatologic responses. This article reviews the various cutaneous reaction patterns that can occur as a result of treatment with class III, IV, and other antiarrhythmic agents, ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor blockers, and diuretics.

Angiotensin II suppression in humans by the orally active renin inhibitor Aliskiren (SPP100): comparison with enalapril

Renin is the main determinant of angiotensin (Ang) II levels. It, therefore, always appeared desirable to reduce Ang II levels by direct inhibition of renin. So far, specific renin inhibitors lacked potency and/or oral availability. We tested the new orally active nonpeptidic renin inhibitor SPP100 (Aliskiren, an octanamide with a 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] in the low nanomolar range) in 18 healthy volunteers on a constant 100 mmol/d sodium diet using a double-blind, 3-way crossover protocol. In 3 periods of 8 days, separated by wash-outs of 6 days, each volunteer received 2 dosage levels of Aliskiren (low before high; 40 and 80 or 160 and 640 mg/d) and randomized placebo or 20 mg enalapril. Aliskiren was well tolerated. Not surprisingly, blood pressure and heart rate remained unchanged in these normotensive subjects. There was a dose-dependent decrease in plasma renin activity, Ang I, and Ang II following single doses of Aliskiren starting with 40 mg. Inhibition was still marked and significant after repeated dosing with maximal decreases in Ang II levels by 89% and 75% on Days 1 and 8, respectively, when the highest dose of Aliskiren was compared with placebo. At the same time, mean plasma active renin was increased 16- and 34-fold at the highest dose of Aliskiren. Plasma drug levels of Aliskiren were dose-dependent with maximal concentrations reached between 3 to 6 hours after administration; steady state was reached between 5 and 8 days after multiple dosing. Less than 1% of dose was excreted in the urine. Plasma and urinary aldosterone levels were decreased after doses of Aliskiren > or =80 mg and after enalapril. Aliskiren at 160 and 640 mg enhanced natriuresis on Day 1 by +45% and +62%, respectively, compared with placebo (100%, ie, 87+/-11 mmol/24h) and enalapril (+54%); kaliuresis remained unchanged. In conclusion, the renin inhibitor Aliskiren dose-dependently decreases Ang II levels in humans following oral administration. The effect is long-lasting and, at a dose of 160 mg, is equivalent to that of 20 mg enalapril. Aliskiren has the potential to become the first orally active renin inhibitor that provides a true alternative to ACE-inhibitors and Ang II receptor antagonists in therapy for hypertension and other cardiovascular and renal diseases.

Hypotensive effects of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist differ between exercised and sedentary rats aged from 4 to 19 weeks

The hypotensive effects of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist TCV-116 were accelerated by swimming training in the early period of chronic administration in young rats. In the latter period, however, a severe decrease in blood pressure that appeared during long-term administration of TCV-116 was prevented by swimming training. Therefore exercise may contribute to the stabilization of blood pressure in young rats treated with TCV-116.