Effects of candesartan on the renin system in conscious rats

This study aimed to assess and to compare the effects of cadesartan cilexetil on the renin system in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were orally treated either with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ramipril (7.5 mg/kg per d), with the established AngII-AT1 receptor blocker losartan (40 mg/kg per d), or with candesartan cilexetil (1 mg/kg per d) for 3 d, and the effects of these treatments on plasma renin activity, renal renin mRNA levels, and adrenal levels of AngII-AT1a and AngII-AT1b receptor mRNA were determined. It was found that all drugs led to very similar increases in plasma renin activity and renin mRNA levels and to rather similar decreases in adrenal AngII-AT1b receptor mRNA levels. It is concluded therefore that the effects of candesartan on the renin system in vivo are not different from those obtained with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition or with the AngII-AT1 receptor blocker losartan.