Functional evidence that the angiotensin antagonist losartan crosses the blood-brain barrier in the rat.

Losartan is a novel nonpeptidergic antagonist of angiotensin (ANG) II subtype 1 (AT1) receptors, which effectively lowers blood pressure in high-renin hypertensive rat and blocks the pressor response to systemic ANG II. It is well known that high densities of ANG II receptors exist in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). In addition, activation of putative angiotensinergic afferents to the PVN originating in subfornical organ (SFO) elevates blood pressure and facilitates the activity of PVN neurons. We report here that systemic administration of losartan (3 mg/kg) significantly attenuates the pressor response to electrical stimulation of SFO. The excitatory responses of PVN neurons to SFO stimulation or local pressure microinjection of ANG II were also significantly inhibited in 58.8% and 88.9% of PVN cells, respectively, by intravenous administration of losartan. These pharmacological effects were rapid and reversible, and were accompanied by little change of basal arterial blood pressure or spontaneous neuronal activity. These observations suggest that systemic losartan crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and acts at AT1 receptors within the PVN.