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Hormone Found In Urine May Help In High Blood Pressure |
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Written by Piyush Joshi
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Sunday, 11 November 2007 |
A hormone found in urine could be useful in clearing out sodium from the body and keep blood pressure within normal limits, a new study has found. The hormone in question is a xanthurenic-acid derivative and could one day be used to develop better treatments for high blood pressure.
The hormone was discovered by researchers at the Cornell and the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI). They analyzed complicated mixtures of small molecules by using a new technique. The study on laboratory mice was undertaken using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of partially purified urine.
Thus far NMR has been used only on purified compounds. In this study researchers found that three new compounds emerged from the partially purified urine. The researchers synthesized each of these compounds and then injected them into the mice.
Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the researchers said two of the compounds increased the level of sodium in the rats' urine. However potassium levels remained constant. Both these compounds are derivatives of xanthurenic-acid.
"Now, we want to know what other functions these compounds have and whether they directly influence blood pressure," said a statement by study co-author Frank Schroeder, assistant scientist at BTI.
High blood pressure or hypertension is the leading cause of dangerous conditions like heart attack, heart failure, and kidney failure. High levels of sodium chloride are known to increase blood pressure. Currently available anti-hypertensive drugs reduce sodium levels in the body by increasing the loss of fluid. However if the above study presents better results than adequate control of high blood pressure is not far away.
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