Therapeutic approach for neuronal disease by regulating renin-angiotensin system.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been postulated to regulate not only systemic hemodynamic and hydromineral homeostasis but also individualorgan function in the normal condition. On the other hand, its systemic and localactivationleads to hypertension and diabetes mellitus,resulting intarget end organ damage.RAS in the brain is also well known to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of neuronal disease, as well as regulating blood pressure, sympathetic activity, vasopressin secretion, thirst and sodium appetite.There is increasing evidence that RAS may contribute to neuroinflammation associated with many neuronal diseases in several animal models. Moreover, recent clinical evidence indicates that RAS blockade, including that byangiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers, has beneficial effects in treating stroke, cognitive dysfunction, Alzheimer disease and other neuronal diseases, suggesting the potential of RAS as a new therapeutic target in neuronal diseases. This article reviews the recent findings ofbrain RAS involvement and thetherapeutic potential of regulating RAS in neuronal disease.