UGR and ibs.GRANADA scientists have discovered that hypertension medications improve intestinal health and strengthen the immune system

A recent study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology shows that some antihypertensive drugs, in addition to regulating blood pressure, also help balance the gut microbiota and reduce inflammation in the nervous system, promoting better blood pressure regulation.

A preclinical study conducted by researchers from the University of Granada and the Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA) found that certain medications commonly used to treat high blood pressure have beneficial effects on gut health and the balance of gut bacteria. . These findings open up new possibilities for treating hypertension using an integrated approach that considers both blood pressure regulation and gut well-being.

Researchers from the ibs.GRANADA Cardiovascular Pharmacology Group, led by Dr. Juan Duarte, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Granada, in collaboration with the ibs.GRANADA Group of Dr. Francisco O’Valle, Professor of Pathological Anatomy and History of Science at the University of Granada, analyzed the effects of three widely used antihypertensive drugs in clinical practice (captopril, amlodipine, etc.). and hydrochlorothiazide) in rats with genetic hypertension, a condition that mimics hypertension in humans. The study found that some of these drugs not only regulate blood pressure, but also improve the composition of the gut microbiota, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the central nervous system.

“High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease in the world, and controlling it is essential to the health of millions of people. Our study shows that captopril and amlodipine not only regulate blood pressure, but also have a positive effect on the gut-brain axis, promoting an anti-inflammatory response that can improve the overall well-being of patients,” explains Dr. Duarte.

The findings show that the hypertensive rats had gut dysbiosis, which is an imbalance in the composition of their gut bacteria, characterized by fewer beneficial acetate-producing bacteria and more bacteria harmful to hypertensives. The researchers observed that after treatment with captopril and amlodipine, levels of acetate-producing bacteria normalized and the gut barrier improved, leading to decreased inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain. In contrast, hydrochlorothiazide, although effective in lowering blood pressure, did not provide additional benefits on gut health.

One of the most interesting findings of this study, carried out by scientists from ibs.GRANADA, several departments of the University of Granada and the Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), is the role of amlodipine in improving the connection between the gut and the brain. A key axis in the regulation of blood pressure and neuroinflammation. In fact, when transplanting microbiota from amlodipine-treated rats into other hypertensive rats, the researchers observed a marked reduction in blood pressure and inflammation levels that was not achieved when transplanting microbiota from amlodipine-treated rats.

These results suggest the possibility of combining certain antihypertensive drugs with probiotics or microbiota modulators to improve the health of patients with essential hypertension. The study was funded by the State Research Agency, the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN) and the Junta of Andalusia, with support from the European Union (FEDER) and the Carlos III Institute of Health.

These findings represent important progress in understanding how interactions between certain drugs and the gut microbiota may be key to improving cardiovascular and immune health.

About the research group

The MP02-Cardiovascular Pharmacology research group at ibs.GRANADA is studying the role of the immune system in endothelial dysfunction in hypertension, as well as studying strategies for modulating the intestinal flora and its effect on blood pressure control. To achieve these goals, the team works in close collaboration with the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, as well as with companies such as Biosearch SA and the Technological Center for Research and Development of Functional Nutrition (CIDAF). This collaboration allows the group to advance its research lines through interdisciplinary and translational approaches, providing new knowledge and potential solutions in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Detailed information about the group

Bibliographic link

Gonzalez-Correa C, Moleon J, Mignano S, Robles-Vera I, Toral M, Barranco AM, Martin-Morales N, O’Valle F, Guerra-Hernandez E, Sanchez M, Gomez-Guzman M, Jimenez R , Romero M , Duarte J. Differential contributions of gut microbiota to the blood pressure-lowering effects of antihypertensive drugs first lines. Br J Pharmacol. September 2024; 181(18):3420-3444. doi:10.1111/bph.16410. Epub May 21, 2024 PMID: 38770714.