Scientists from the ibs.GRANADA discover that drugs for hypertension improve intestinal health and strengthen the immune system
A recent study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology reveals that certain antihypertensive drugs, in addition to regulating blood pressure, also help balance the intestinal microbiota and reduce inflammation in the nervous system, promoting better regulation of blood pressure.
A preclinical study conducted by researchers at the Granada Biosanitary Research Institute (ibs.GRANADA) has shown that some drugs commonly used to treat high blood pressure have beneficial effects on gut health and the balance of intestinal bacteria. These findings suggest new opportunities to treat hypertension through an integrated approach that considers both blood pressure regulation and intestinal well-being.
Researchers from the Cardiovascular Pharmacology group at ibs.GRANADA, led by Dr. Juan Duarte, in collaboration with the group of Dr. Francisco O'Valle at ibs.GRANADA, have analysed the effects of three widely used antihypertensive drugs (captopril, amlodipine and hydrochlorothiazide) in rats with genetic hypertension, a condition that mimics hypertension in humans. The study has revealed that some of these drugs not only regulate blood pressure, but also improve the composition of the intestinal microbiota and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the central nervous system.
“High blood pressure is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease worldwide, and its control is essential for the health of millions of people. Our study shows that captopril and amlodipine not only regulate blood pressure, but also act positively on the gut-brain axis, promoting an anti-inflammatory response that can improve the general well-being of patients,” explains Dr. Duarte.
The results obtained show that hypertensive rats presented intestinal dysbiosis, that is, an imbalance in the composition of their intestinal bacteria, characterized by a lower amount of beneficial acetate-producing bacteria and a higher amount of bacteria harmful to hypertension. The researchers observed that, after treatment with captopril and amlodipine, the levels of acetate-producing bacteria were normalized and the health of the intestinal barrier improved, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. In contrast, hydrochlorothiazide, although effective in reducing blood pressure, did not produce these additional benefits in intestinal health.
One of the most interesting findings of this study, carried out by scientists from the ibs.GRANADA, several departments of the University of Granada and the Biomedical Research Centre (CIBM), is the role of amlodipine in improving communication between the intestine and the brain, a key axis in the regulation of blood pressure and neuroinflammation. In fact, by performing microbiota transplants from rats treated with amlodipine to other hypertensive rats, the researchers observed a notable reduction in blood pressure and inflammation levels, a result that was not achieved with the microbiota transplant of rats treated with hydrochlorothiazide.
These findings suggest the potential of combining certain antihypertensive drugs with probiotics or microbiota modulators to enhance health benefits in hypertensive patients. The research has been funded by the State Research Agency, the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN) and the Regional Government of Andalusia, with support from European Union (ERDF) funds and the Carlos III Health Institute.
These results represent an important advance in understanding how the interaction between certain drugs and the intestinal microbiota could be key to improving cardiovascular health and the immune system.
About the research group
The MP02-Cardiovascular Pharmacology research group at ibs.GRANADA is dedicated to studying the role of the immune system in endothelial dysfunction in hypertension, as well as exploring strategies to modulate intestinal flora and its impact on blood pressure control. To achieve these goals, the team works closely with the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, as well as with companies such as Biosearch SA and the Technological Centre for Research and Development of Functional Food (CIDAF). These synergies allow the group to advance its lines of research through multidisciplinary and translational approaches, providing new knowledge and potential solutions in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
More information about the group: https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/mp02-farmacologia-cardiovascular/
Bibliographic reference
González-Correa C, Moleón J, Miñano S, Robles-Vera I, Toral M, Barranco AM, Martín-Morales N, O'Valle F, Guerra-Hernández E, Sánchez M, Gómez-Guzmán M, Jiménez R, Romero M , Duarte J. Differing contributions of the gut microbiota to the blood pressure lowering effects induced by first-line antihypertensive drugs. Br J Pharmacol. 2024 Sep;181(18):3420-3444. doi:10.1111/bph.16410. Epub 2024 May 21. PMID: 38770714.
