Management of arterial hypertension with angiotensin receptor blockers: Current evidence and the role of olmesartan

Ginsenoside Rb1 in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases: A review of therapeutic potentials and molecular mechanisms

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CCVDs), which are circulatory system diseases caused by heart defects and vascular diseases, are the major noncommunicable diseases affecting global public health. With the improvement of economic level and the change of human lifestyle, the prevalence of CCVDs continues to increase. Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.) was widely used in traditional diseases due to its supposed tonic properties. Ginsenoside Rb1 (G-Rb1) is the most abundant active ingredient with multiple pharmacological effects extracted from ginseng, which has been shown to have potential benefits on the cardiovascular system through a variety of mechanisms, including anti-oxidation, anti-inflammatory, regulation of vasodilation, reduction of platelet adhesion, influence of calcium ion channels, improvement of lipid distribution, involving in glucose metabolism and controlling blood sugar. This review reviewed the protective effects of G-Rb1 on CCVDs and its potential mechanisms, such as atherosclerosis (AS), hypertension, coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke (IS) and periocular microvascular retinopathy. Finally, we reviewed and reported the results of in vivo and in vitro experiments using G-Rb1 to improve CCVDs, highlighted its efficacy, safety, and limitations.

From Hypertension to Beyond: Unraveling the Diverse Mechanisms of Olmesartan in Disease Modulation

Olmesartan, originally known for its antihypertensive properties, exhibits promising potential in addressing inflammation-mediated diseases. As an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), Olmesartan influences pivotal pathways, including reactive oxygen species, cytokines, NF-κB, TNF-α, and MAPK. This suggests a viable opportunity for repurposing the drug in conditions such as ulcerative colitis, neuropathy, nephropathy, and cancer, as supported by multiple preclinical studies. Ongoing clinical trials, particularly in cardiomyopathy and nephropathy, suggest a broader therapeutic scope for Olmesartan. Repurposing efforts would entail comprehensive investigations using disease-specific preclinical models and dedicated clinical studies. The drug's established safety profile, wide availability, and well-understood ARB mechanism of action offer distinct advantages that could facilitate a streamlined repurposing process. In summary, Olmesartan's versatile impact on inflammation-related pathways positions it as a promising candidate for repurposing across various diseases. Ongoing clinical trials and the drug's favorable attributes enhance its appeal for further exploration and potential application in diverse medical contexts.

Exploring the Effectiveness and Safety of Azilsartan-Medoxomil/Chlorthalidone Versus Olmesartan-Medoxomil/Hydrochlorothiazide in Hypertensive Patients: A Meta-Analysis

This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of azilsartan-medoxomil/chlorthalidone (AZI-M/CT) compared to olmesartan-medoxomil/hydrochlorothiazide (OLM/HCTZ) in patients with hypertension. Systematic searches were conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov, starting from their establishment until March 15, 2023. The purpose of these searches was to locate original reports that compare the effectiveness of AZI-M/CT and OLM/HCTZ in treating hypertension. Data on various characteristics at the beginning and end of the studies were gathered. The analyses were carried out using Review Manager 5.4.1 (The Nordic Cochrane Center, The Cochrane Collaboration, 2014, Odense, Denmark) and STATA 16.0 software (Stata Corp. LP, College Station, TX, USA). Risk ratios (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as part of the study. A total of 3,146 individuals from four separate investigations were included in the study, with 1,931 individuals receiving AZI-M/CT and 1,215 individuals receiving OLM/HCTZ. The combined analysis revealed that the average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly lower in the AZI-M/CT group compared to the OLM/HCTZ group (WMD -2.64 [-2.78, -2.51]; P = 0.00001; I² = 1%). However, there were no significant differences in mean systolic blood pressure (SBP; WMD -2.95 [-6.64, 0.73]; P = 0). Furthermore, the AZI-M/CT group had a notably higher incidence of major adverse events (RR 1.58 [1.20, 2.08]; P = 0.001; I² = 11%) and any treatment-emergent adverse events (RR 1.11 [1.03, 1.20]; P = 0.007; I² = 51%). However, there was no significant difference in the mortality risk between the two groups (RR 0.74 [0.14, 3.91]; P = 0.72; I² = 0%). Based on the results of our meta-analysis, AZI-M/CT is more effective than OLM/HCTZ at reducing blood pressure in elderly hypertensive patients. However, because of the small sample size, favorable results must be carefully reevaluated, and more studies are needed.

Olmesartan Improves Hepatic Sinusoidal Remodeling in Mice with Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Liver Fibrosis

Aim

In mice with liver fibrosis produced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄), the effects of olmesartan on intrahepatic angiogenesis and sinusoidal remodeling will be evaluated.

Methods

By injecting CCl₄ into the peritoneal cavity, we established a mouse model of liver fibrosis. Using Sirius red and Masson trichrome staining, the extent of liver fibrosis in the animals was determined. Using immunohistochemical labeling and western blotting, the level of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression, a characteristic of hepatic stellate cell activation, was assessed. Electron microscopy was used to determine the effect of olmesartan on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization, and immunohistochemical labeling was used to determine the expression levels of endothelial and basement membrane proteins in mouse liver tissues. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), IL-10, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiotensin II levels in mouse serum were measured by Luminex multifactor analysis and ELISA. Olmesartan's effect on the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) was evaluated using western blotting.

Results

Olmesartan reduced CCl₄-induced inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition to alleviate liver fibrosis. α-SMA expression was decreased, and HSC activation was inhibited in mouse liver tissues by olmesartan treatment. In addition, hepatic sinusoidal capillarization was improved under the action of olmesartan. The expression of collagen IV, fibronectin, CD31, and von Willebrand factor (VWF) in the olmesartan group was also markedly downregulated. In fibrotic mice, olmesartan medication decreased the levels of PDGF, VEGF, and angiotensin II, but it increased the level of IL-10. Moreover, olmesartan reduced the expression of VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, and AT1R relative to CCl₄-induced liver fibrosis.

Conclusions

In mice with CCl₄-induced fibrosis, olmesartan lowers angiogenesis and improves hepatic sinusoidal remodeling, according to our findings. By acting on the angiotensin II-AT1R-VEGF axis, this is achieved.

Determination of candesartan or olmesartan in hypertensive patient plasma using UPLC-MS/MS

Candesartan and olmesartan are angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) used for the treatment of hypertension and heart failure. Quantitation methods for candesartan and olmesartan were developed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry following protein precipitation. Candesartan was separated using 5 mM ammonium formate (A) and 100% acetonitrile (B) and olmesartan was separated using 2 mM ammonium formate with 0.1% formic acid (A) and 100% acetonitrile (B). Separation was performed using an isocratic method with a Thermo hypersil GOLD C18 column. Electrospray ionization was used for analyte ionization and detection of candesartan, olmesartan, and the internal standards by multiple reaction monitoring. Developed method showed excellent linearity (r > 0.99) in the concentration range of 2-500 ng/mL for candesartan and 5-2,500 ng/mL for olmesartan. Accuracies were 86.70-108.8% for candesartan and 87.87-112.6% for olmesartan. These methods were able to successfully measure plasma candesartan or olmesartan concentrations in hypertensive patients. This study can be used for pharmacokinetic studies of candesartan or olmesartan in humans.

The protective effects of Olmesartan against interleukin-29 (IL-29)-induced type 2 collagen degradation in human chondrocytes

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a cartilage degenerative disease commonly observed in the elderly population and is pathologically characterized by the degradation of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTSs) are critical enzymes involved in the degradation of ECM. Olmesartan is an inhibitor of the angiotensin II receptor developed for the treatment of hypertension, and recent studies show that it exerts anti-inflammatory effects in arthritis. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of the protective effect of Olmesartan on cartilage ECM degradation. Interleukin-29 (IL-29) is a novel inflammatory mediator involved in the inflammation and degradation of cartilage in OA, and human T/C-28a2 cells treated with it were the inflammatory model in vitro. We found that the degradation of type 2 collagens and aggrecans was induced by IL-29, accompanied by the upregulation of MMPs and ADAMTSs, but the presence of Olmesartan significantly ameliorated these increases. In addition, Olmesartan abolished IL-29- induced oxidative stress and elevated the expression level of TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF-6). Mechanistically, we showed that Olmesartan suppressed IL-29- caused inhibitor kappa B α (IκBα) expression and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, indicating it suppressed the activation of the NF-κB pathway. Collectively, our data reveal that Olmesartan exerted a protective function on IL-29- induced type 2 collagen degradation in human chondrocytes.

ARB-Based Combination Therapy for the Clinical Management of Hypertension and Hypertension-Related Comorbidities: A Spotlight on Their Use in COVID-19 Patients

Essential hypertension is the most common cardiovascular (CV) risk factor, being primarily involved in the pathogenesis of CV disease and mortality worldwide. Given the high prevalence and growing incidence of this clinical condition in the general population in both high and low-income countries, antihypertensive drug therapies are frequently prescribed in different hypertension-related CV diseases and comorbidities. Among these conditions, evidence are available demonstrating the clinical benefits of lowering blood pressure (BP) levels, particularly in those hypertensive patients at high or very high CV risk profile. Preliminary studies, performed during the Sars-COVID-19 epidemic, raised some concerns on the potential implication of hypertension and antihypertensive medications in the susceptibility of having severe pneumonia, particularly with regard to the use of drugs inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). These hypotheses were not confirmed by subsequent studies, which independently and systematically demonstrated no clinical harm of these drugs also in patients with Sars-COVID-19 infection. The aim of this narrative review is to critically discuss the available evidence supporting the use of antihypertensive therapies based RAS blocking agents in hypertensive patients with different CV risk profile and with additional clinical conditions or comorbidities, including Sars-COVID-19 infection, with a particular focus on single-pill combination therapies based on olmesartan medoxomil.

Qingda granule inhibits angiotensin Ⅱ induced VSMCs proliferation through MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The abnormal increase in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is widely accepted as the pivotal process in the vascular remodeling of hypertension. Qingda granule (QDG) is simplified from Qingxuan Jiangya Decoction (QXJYD) which has been in usage for a long time as a traditional Chinese medicine formula to treat hypertension based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. However, its underlying molecular mechanisms of action remain largely unknown.

AIM OF STUDY

To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of QDG in the attenuation of elevation of blood pressure and proliferation of VSMCs in vivo and in vitro and explore its possible mechanism of action.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In vivo, we established an angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ)-mediated hypertension model in C57BL/6 mice and orally administered 1.145 g/kg/day of QDG. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures of all mice were measured at the end of the treatment by using the tail-cuff plethysmograph method and CODA™ noninvasive blood pressure system. VSMC proliferation within the aorta was determined by immunohistochemistry. In vitro, primary rat VSMCs were cultured to further verify the effects of QDG on Ang Ⅱ induced VSMC proliferation. Cell proliferation was investigated using cell counting and MTT assays. The protein expression was determined by western blotting.

RESULTS

We found that oral administration of QDG significantly attenuated the elevation of blood pressure and proliferation of VSMCs in Ang Ⅱ-induced hypertensive mice. Moreover, QDG remarkably inhibited Ang Ⅱ-induced primary rat VSMCs proliferation and decreased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and PI3K/AKT activity by attenuating the expression of phospho-extracellular signaling-regulated kinase 1/2, phospho-p38, phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase and phospho-protein kinase B.

CONCLUSION

Collectively, our findings suggest that QDG attenuates Ang Ⅱ-induced elevation of blood pressure and proliferation of VSMCs through a decrease in the activation of MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. Based on this study, we postulate this could be one of the mechanisms whereby QDG effectively controls hypertension.

Herbal Medicine for Cardiovascular Diseases: Efficacy, Mechanisms, and Safety

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a significant health burden with an ever-increasing prevalence. They remain the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The use of medicinal herbs continues to be an alternative treatment approach for several diseases including CVDs. Currently, there is an unprecedented drive for the use of herbal preparations in modern medicinal systems. This drive is powered by several aspects, prime among which are their cost-effective therapeutic promise compared to standard modern therapies and the general belief that they are safe. Nonetheless, the claimed safety of herbal preparations yet remains to be properly tested. Consequently, public awareness should be raised regarding medicinal herbs safety, toxicity, potentially life-threatening adverse effects, and possible herb–drug interactions. Over the years, laboratory data have shown that medicinal herbs may have therapeutic value in CVDs as they can interfere with several CVD risk factors. Accordingly, there have been many attempts to move studies on medicinal herbs from the bench to the bedside, in order to effectively employ herbs in CVD treatments. In this review, we introduce CVDs and their risk factors. Then we overview the use of herbs for disease treatment in general and CVDs in particular. Further, data on the ethnopharmacological therapeutic potentials and medicinal properties against CVDs of four widely used plants, namely Ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, Ganoderma lucidum, and Gynostemma pentaphyllum, are gathered and reviewed. In particular, the employment of these four plants in the context of CVDs, such as myocardial infarction, hypertension, peripheral vascular diseases, coronary heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and dyslipidemias has been reviewed, analyzed, and critically discussed. We also endeavor to document the recent studies aimed to dissect the cellular and molecular cardio-protective mechanisms of the four plants, using recently reported in vitro and in vivo studies. Finally, we reviewed and reported the results of the recent clinical trials that have been conducted using these four medicinal herbs with special emphasis on their efficacy, safety, and toxicity.

Antihypertensive Indigenous Lebanese Plants: Ethnopharmacology and a Clinical Trial

Hypertension is highly prevalent among the Lebanese adult population and is indeed the major cause of mortality in Lebanon. Traditional use of antihypertensive medicinal plants has long been practiced. The aim of this study is to document this traditional knowledge and clinically test the antihypertensive capacity of three of the most commonly used wild plant species Mentha longifolia, Viola odorata and Urtica dioica. Ethno-pharmacological data was collected by personal interviews with herbalists and traditional healers using a semi structured survey questionnaire and assessing relative frequency of citation (RFC). The clinical study was conducted by a randomized, blind, placebo-controlled trial in 29 subjects with mild hypertension distributed in four groups, three plant extract treatments and one placebo. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) as well as mean arterial blood pressures (MAP) were monitored at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 during the treatment with 300 mL/day of plant extract. Results showed that M. longifolia, U. dioica and V. odorata exhibited the highest values of RCF (0.95) followed by Allium ampeloprasum (0.94), Apium graveolens (0.92) and Crataegus azarolus (0.90). The clinical trial revealed dose- and duration-dependent significant reductions in SBP, DBP and MAP of subjects treated with M. longifolia, U. dioica or V. odorata. Our findings indicate that extracts of these plants present an effective, safe and promising potential as a phyto-therapuetical approach for the treatment of mild hypertension. More research on the phytochemistry, pharmacological effects and the underlying mechanisms is necessary.

Management of arterial hypertension with angiotensin receptor blockers: Current evidence and the role of olmesartan

Elevated blood pressure (BP) is a major determinant of morbidity and mortality burden related to cardio‐metabolic risk. Current guidelines indicate that controlling and lowering BP promotes cardiovascular (CV) risk reduction. Among antihypertensive agents, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are characterized by an efficacy profile equivalent to other antihypertensive agents and are provided with excellent tolerability and low discontinuation rates during chronic treatments. Moreover, CV outcomes are reduced by ARBs. Olmesartan is a long‐lasting ARB which proved to achieve a comparable or more effective action in lowering BP when compared to other ARBs. Olmesartan, in fact, displayed a larger and more sustained antihypertensive effect over the 24 hours, with a buffering effect on short‐term BP variability. These are important features which differentiate olmesartan from the other principles of the same class and that may help to control the increased CV risk in the presence of high BP variability. Olmesartan shows similar benefits as other ARBs in terms of all‐cause and CV mortality, and a favorable tolerability profile. Combination of olmesartan with long‐lasting calcium‐channel blockers and thiazide diuretics represents a rational and effective therapy. Thus, ARBs, including olmesartan, represent one of the most effective and safe treatments for patients with arterial hypertension.