Objectives Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker (CCB), is one of the most common antihypertensive medicines in Japan. We evaluated whether the calcium channel blocker confers cardiac protection through the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-SP). Methods Fifteen week-old rats were divided into 2 groups: amlodipine group (3mg/kg/day, n=5) and control group (n=5). Key findings The CCB lowered systolic blood pressure significantly (P<0.05). Plasma aldosterone concentration in the amlodipine group was remarkably lower than in the control group (P<0.05), but plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II concentration were not different between the two groups. The CCB also suppressed the mRNA expression of brain natriuretic peptide, transforminggrowth factor-β1, and fibronectin extracted from the left ventricle. Conclusions These results suggest that amlodipine attenuates cardiac damage by lowering plasma aldosterone concentration in hypertensive rats with developing arteriosclerosis. © 2010 The Authors. JPP © 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.
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Harasawa, S., Otsuka, Y., Okubo, K., Koike, M., Fujita, H., Kushiro, T., … Hirayama, A. (2010). Amlodipine suppressed cardiac gene expression of brain natriuretic peptide, transforming growth factor-β1 and fibronectin mediated by aldosterone in male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 62(12), 1740–1745. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-7158.2010.01164.x