ACE inhibitor Captopril
 

I suggest the ACE inhibitor Captopril. It is Generic and shows some good promise in treating MS. It is also a very good inhibitor of many forms of Cancer.

jackD

Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol. 1995 Aug;17(3):471-91.

Effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Constantinescu CS, Ventura E, Hilliard B, Rostami A.

Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA.

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)1 mediates inflammation, participates in T cell stimulation by certain antigenic peptides, and influences the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB).

ACE is elevated in multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), characterized by increased BBB permeability.

ACE inhibitor captopril suppresses certain immune functions and inhibits inflammatory or autoimmune diseases.

We studied the effect of captopril on Lewis rat EAE, an animal model of MS.

Fourteen rats with EAE were treated with captopril 30 mg/kg daily from immunization to day 21 post-immunization, and compared with 14 untreated rats. Severity scores and lymphocyte reactivity to myelin basic protein and mitogen were measured.

There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference between the mean and cumulative clinical scores of captopril-treated and untreated animals. Lymphocytes from captopril treated EAE rats at the peak of disease severity had diminished responses to MBP and concanavalin A.

The data suggest a significant beneficial effect of captopril in Lewis rat EAE. Further studies including other inhibitors of ACE or of other peptidases with immune, inflammatory or BBB role, may identify potentially valuable immunopharmacologic agents.

PMID: 8576541 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

MMP-2/9 reduction
 

It appears that the main benefit from ACE inhibitor drugs like Captopril and Lisinopril may be that they reduce MMP-2/9s.

The MMP-9s cut holes in the BBB and then enter the brain and cut myelin up into little pieces. The majority of MS damage is related to these activities in the inflammatory stage of MS.

jackD


J Pharmacol Sci. 2008 Dec;108(4):487-94. Epub 2008 Dec 5.

Captopril attenuates matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 in monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy in rats.
Okada M, Kikuzuki R, Harada T, Hori Y, Yamawaki H, Hara Y.

Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Japan. mokada@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

Little is known about the influence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in right ventricular remodeling. We investigated the effect of captopril, an ACE inhibitor, on MMP-2 and MMP-9 in monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy. Six-week-old male Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with monocrotaline (60 mg/kg) or saline. The rats were administrated captopril (30 mg/kg per day) or a vehicle orally for 24 days from the day of monocrotaline injection. At day 25, echocardiography was performed and hearts were excised. Expressions and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were measured by Western blotting and by gelatin zymography, respectively. In monocrotaline-injected rats, right ventricular weight/tail length ratio increased significantly. Histological analysis revealed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis in right ventricular sections. Echocardiography showed right ventricular dysfunction compared with saline-injected rats. The right ventricular hypertrophy, fibrosis, and dysfunction were inhibited by captopril. However, captopril did not attenuate an increase in pulmonary artery pressure. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expressions and activities in right ventricles increased significantly in monocrotaline-injected rats and captopril inhibited them.

These findings indicate that captopril attenuates the development of monocrotaline-induced right ventricular hypertrophy in association with inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in rats.

PMID: 19057128 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Captopril Lung Cancer
 

My doctor was very interested in this abstract because Lung Cancer was so fatal among his patients.

jackD


Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Sep;1138:65-72.

Captopril as a potential inhibitor of lung tumor growth and metastasis.

Attoub S, Gaben AM, Al-Salam S, Al Sultan MA, John A, Nicholls MG, Mester J, Petroianu G.

Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. samir.attoub@uaeu.ac.ae

Lung cancer is the most common form of cancer in the world, and 90% of patients die from their disease.

The angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are used widely as antihypertensive agents, and it has been suggested that they decrease the risk of some cancers, although available data are conflicting.

Accordingly, we investigated the anticancer activity of the ACE inhibitor, captopril, in athymic mice injected with highly tumorigenic LNM35 human lung cells as xenografts.

Using this model, we demonstrated that daily IP administration of captopril (2.8 mg/mouse) for 3 weeks resulted in a remarkable reduction of tumor growth (58%, P < 0.01) and lymph node metastasis (50%, P= 0.088).

There were no undesirable effects of captopril treatment on animal behavior and body weight. In order to determine the mechanism by which captopril inhibited tumor growth, we investigated the impact of this drug on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that captopril treatment significantly reduced the number of proliferating cells (Ki-67) in the tumor samples but was not associated with inhibition of tumor angiogenesis (CD31).

Using cell viability and fluorescent activated cell sorting analysis tests, we demonstrated that captopril inhibited the viability of LNM35 cells by inducing apoptosis, providing insight about the mechanisms underlying its antitumorigenic activities.

In view of these experimental findings, we conclude that captopril could be a promising option for the treatment of lung cancer.

PMID: 18837885 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Thanks for the info. I was on one BP med and it made me cough alot. Wish I could remember the name of it. Diovan is close to $90 a month and I just cannot afford that. I can get it through a Canadian pharmacy for about $90 for a three month supply....still $30 a month......but if I can get a generic that I can get filled here in the U.S. I'd rather do that.

ACE cough
 

I am afraid ALL ACE inhibitor drugs like Captopril and Lisinopril have that nasty "ACE cough". It is a very annoying weak cough for most.

It took me about 60 days before it dissipated completely. About two or three times a month it seems to return. I carried around a bag of grapes and ate one whenever it started.

jackD

What is the recommended dose of Lisinopril for MS and can someone with normal BP take it??