AR-9281

AR9281 inhibits soluble epoxide hydrolase (s-EH), an enzyme that plays a key role in the cytochrome P450 pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. Nuclear factor alpha B (NF-alphaB) is a transcription factor implicated in cardiac hypertrophy, and can be anti or pro apoptotic under different conditions. Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), a product of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase enzyme action, have a variety of anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory effects. EETs have a vasodilatory action similar to endothelium derived hyperpolarizing factor and may inhibit NF-alphaB through a currently unknown mechanism. The enzyme s-EH catalyzes the breakdown of EETs to dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids. AR9281's inhibition of s-EH enhances EETs anti-hypertensive and anti-inflammatory activities by preventing their breakdown by s-EH, as well as inhibiting NF-alphaB.

Drugs used in the treatment of acute or chronic vascular HYPERTENSION regardless of pharmacological mechanism. Among the antihypertensive agents are DIURETICS; (especially DIURETICS, THIAZIDE); ADRENERGIC BETA-ANTAGONISTS; ADRENERGIC ALPHA-ANTAGONISTS; ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITORS; CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS; GANGLIONIC BLOCKERS; and VASODILATOR AGENTS.

Compounds or agents that combine with an enzyme in such a manner as to prevent the normal substrate-enzyme combination and the catalytic reaction.