NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Allylmercaptocaptopril (CPSSA), a compound synthesized by reacting allicin with captopril, seems to lower blood pressure at lower concentrations than captopril alone in a rat model of hypertension, investigators in Israel report in the American Journal of Hypertension for January. The compound also lowered triglyceride levels.
In research with allicin (diallyl disulfide oxide), Dr. Talma Rosenthal, at Chaim Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer, and colleagues recently found that this chemically unstable compound can reduce blood pressure, while lowering insulin and triglyceride levels at the same time.
In an attempt to create a stable compound as effective as captopril when used at lower concentrations, Dr. Rosenthal’s group synthesized allicin, then reacted allicin with captopril to make CPSSA.
To compare the effects of CPSSA and captopril, they fed rats a high-fructose diet to increase blood pressure and levels of insulin and triglycerides. Three groups of five animals each were then treated daily for 2 weeks with CPSSA 40 mg, CPSSA 57 mg, or captopril 80 mg. A fourth group was maintained as controls.
CPSSA significantly lowered blood pressure (p < 0.005) and triglyceride levels (p < 0.05), but not insulin levels.
In e-mail correspondence with Reuters Health, Dr. Rosenthal noted that the LD50s of CPSSA and captopril are similar.
“Since the doses of allylmercaptocaptopril needed to lower blood pressure were at least 50% lower (in total milligram amounts), there is an advantage [over captopril] because the chances of toxicity complications will be lower,” she noted.
The group hopes to conduct pharmacological and pharmacokinetic studies of CPSSA, followed by submission of an investigational new drug application and “a limited clinical trial,” Dr. Rosenthal said.
Source: Am J Hypertens 2004;17:71-73. [ Google search on this article ]
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