Benidipine, a long-acting calcium channel blocker, inhibits oxidative stress in polymorphonuclear cells in patients with essential hypertension

To study the relationship between blood pressure and oxidative stress in leukocytes, the effect of benidipine on these variables was compared with that of a placebo. Hypertensive patients were randomly assigned benidipine 4 mg (n=40) or placebo (n=40), and treated for 6 months. Oxidative stress in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) was measured by gated flow cytometry. There was a significant relationship between systolic or diastolic arterial pressure and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation by PMNs in the benidipine group (r=0.61, p<0.01) and in the placebo group (r=0.58, p<0.01). After administration of 4 mg benidipine, ROS formation by PMNs fell by 32 arbitrary units (n=40, p<0.01). After administration of placebo, ROS formation by PMNs decreased by 0.6 arbitrary units (n=40, p=0.31) (p<0.01 for differing treatment effects). There was a significant relationship between the decrease in systolic arterial pressure and the decrease in ROS formation by PMNs in the benidipine group (r=0.52, p<0.01), but not in the placebo group (r=-0.08, p=0.61). There was also a significant relationship between the decrease in diastolic arterial pressure and decrease in ROS formation by PMNs in the benidipine group (r=0.65, p<0.01) but not in the placebo group (r=-0.09, p=0.59). In hypertensive patients, we observed a significant relationship between systolic or diastolic blood pressure and ROS formation by PMNs, and found that benidipine decreased oxidative stress in PMNs of hypertensive patients, at least in part by decreasing blood pressure.