Description
Irbesartan is an angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor inhibitor that also activates PPARγ receptors; it exhibits antihypertensive, cardioprotective, and anti-hyperlipidemic activities. In angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-deficient mice, irbesartan decreases TGF-β1, atrial natriuretic factor, collagen, and phospho-ERK1/2 expression and increases PPARγ expression, reversing cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis. In animal models of angiotensin II (ATII)-mediated abdominal aortic aneurysm, irbesartan prevents macrophage infiltration, pro-inflammatory cytokine release, smooth muscle attenuation, and medial elastolysis, and also limits aneurysm enlargement. In obese hypertensive rats, this compound decreases plasma levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides, and insulin; it also upregulates expression of hepatic PPARα. In high fat diet rats, irbesartan decreases body weight and adipose tissue weight and improves glucose metabolism and vascular function.