Renal effects of an angiotensin II antagonist in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat.

We evaluated the renal effects of the new angiotensin II type 1 (ATI) receptor antagonist, HR 720, in the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat. Rats were treated with either vehicle, HR 720, MK-954 (a selective ATI receptor antagonist) or enalapril for 6 weeks. Blood pressure was decreased to a similar extent by HR 720, MK-954 and enalapril (203 ± 4, 202 ± 5 and 190 ± 4 vs. 247 ± 4 mm Hg for control). Urinary protein secretion was also decreased (5.2 ± 0.3, 5.3 ± 0.2 and 5.5 ± 0.6 vs. 25.2 ± 4.6 mg/l00g/24h). The glomerular hypertensive change was improved in each drug-treated group (2.0 ± 0.2, 3.3 ± 0.3 and 1.6 ± 0.1 vs. 17.6 ± 1.5%; p