TITLE:
Molecular Basis of Hypertension: A Systematic Review on the Role of Metal Ions for Increase Prevalence of Hypertension in India
AUTHORS:
Kshetrimayum Birla Singh
KEYWORDS:
Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Hypertension, India
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.4 No.7,
June
28,
2016
ABSTRACT: Metal ions played critical
role in regulation of hypertension (HT) or blood pressure (BP). The physiological
roles of metals commonly present in the diet in the etiology of HT need to be reviewed
as recent survey on the metal status in the various vegetable and meat food stuffs
commonly consumed by living population in India revealed an imbalance in its level.
Higher levels of zinc (Zn) in diet is observed to increase the BP by various mechanisms
including oxidative stress through decreased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD)
enzyme, increasing levels of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and aldosterone
and by causing acidification due to change in the levels of H+, Na+,
K+ and Ca2+ ions in the blood. High level of copper (Cu) and
low level of magnesium (Mg) and manganese (Mn) in the blood is also associated with
HT through various mechanisms like elevation of chronic inflammation, accelerating
Na+ pump of cell membrane and by disturbing lipid metabolism in the body.
An epidemiological study conducted in the population of Manipur, India consuming
Zn rich diet reveals significant disparities in distribution of the metals in the
blood of the hypertensive (HTS) patients as compared to the normotensives (NT) control
and thus indicates that the change in body metal homeostasis may be a triggering
factor for the development of HT in this population and corroborate the reports
of published literatures. The role of the metals
variations in the body and their possible involvement in HT is reviewed and discussed in this paper.