Anti-hypertensive effects of rosiglitazone on renovascular hypertensive rats: role of oxidative stress and lipid metabolism

This study investigated the anti-hypertensive mechanism of rosiglitazone in renovascular hypertensive rats, and examined its relationship to oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. The renovascular hypertension was induced by stenosis of the left renal artery. Four groups of rats were selected: control, induced untreated, rosiglitazone (20.mg/kg) and captopril (10.mg/kg). After 14.d of administration, compared with induced untreated group, rosiglitazone group reduced the renovascular hypertensive rats' systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, and decreased total cholesterol (TCH), triglyceride (TG), angiotensin II (Ang II) and angiotensin receptor (AT₁) levels(P<0.05). Meanwhile, rosiglitazone remarkably decreased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) while improved the levels of supperoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH). These results suggested that rosiglitazone could effectively decreased the blood pressure in renovascular hypertensive rats, and this might be performed by regulating the activity of angiotensin and the lipid metabolism and improving the oxidative stress.