The neurogenic phase of angiotensin II-salt hypertension is prevented by chronic intracerebroventricular administration of benzamil.

Physiol Rep. 2014 Feb 26;2(2):e00245. Osborn JW, Olson DM, Guzman P, Toney GM, Fink GD. “Hypertension induced by chronic administration of angiotensin II (AngII) is exacerbated by high‐salt intake”. The authors from this study tested whether intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of the sodium channel/transporter blocker benzamil would prevent AngII‐induced hypertension. As previously known, high salt diet with AngII increased mean arterial pressure in the presence of ICV vehile administration. Benzamil administration ICV had effect on MAP changes only after day 5 and reversed Ang II-induced MAP to control levels by day 13. Sodium or water balance was not different between the control and treatment groups. The results from this study suggest that sodium channels and/or transporters in the brain play a role in mediating AngII salt hypertension. However the molecular targets or the precise locations (within the brain) at which benzamil acts are unknown. It would be interesting to pursue this in the future studies.- Madhan