Blood Pressure: nootropics and compounds | sci-wiki

Nimodipine

Nimodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker developed mainly to act on the blood vessels of the brain rather than as a general antihypertensive. Its principal approved role is preventing the delayed cerebral ischemia that can follow aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, a form of bleeding around the brain. It was patented in 1971 and reached clinical use in the 1980s, gaining United States approval in 1988. Because it relaxes cerebral arteries and shows relative selectivity for that circulation, it remains the only medication specifically approved to improve neurological outcomes after this type of stroke.

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Beta-Blocker

Propranolol

Propranolol is a nonselective beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, one of the first drugs of its kind and a mainstay of cardiovascular medicine. Developed by the British scientist James Black in the early 1960s, it blocks the actions of adrenaline and noradrenaline at both beta-1 and beta-2 receptors and is used for conditions ranging from hypertension, angina, and irregular heart rhythms to migraine prevention, essential tremor, and performance anxiety. It also became the first effective drug treatment for infantile hemangioma. Propranolol appears on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines and is available only by prescription.

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Supplement

Arginine

Arginine, or L-arginine, is a conditionally essential amino acid that the body uses to build proteins and, importantly, as the raw material for making nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes and widens blood vessels. It also plays central roles in the urea cycle that clears ammonia and in the production of creatine. Healthy adults usually make enough arginine, but needs can rise during growth, illness, or injury; it is obtained from protein-rich foods and taken as a supplement for cardiovascular and exercise-related purposes.

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Nootropic

Cacao Powder

Cacao powder is the ground, mostly de-fatted solids of the roasted Theobroma cacao bean. Its active fraction is a group of flavanols (flavan-3-ols), chiefly (-)-epicatechin and catechin plus procyanidins, alongside the methylxanthine theobromine and a little caffeine. The flavanols drive nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation, which is the best-supported reason people take it: lower blood pressure, better endothelial function, and modestly improved blood flow to the brain. Natural (non-alkalized) cacao keeps far more of these flavanols than Dutch-processed cocoa.

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Supplement

Citrulline

Citrulline is a non-proteinogenic alpha-amino acid named after the watermelon, from which it was first isolated. In the body it is a key intermediate in the urea cycle and a precursor to the amino acid arginine, which is in turn used to make nitric oxide. It is sold as a dietary supplement, often marketed for blood flow and exercise performance, though the evidence for those uses is mixed.

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Nootropic

Forskolin

Forskolin is a natural compound belonging to the labdane diterpenes, extracted from the roots of the Indian coleus plant (Plectranthus barbatus, also known as Coleus forskohlii). It is best known in biology as a laboratory tool because it directly switches on the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, raising cellular levels of the messenger molecule cAMP. The plant has a history in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, and forskolin is also sold as a dietary supplement, often marketed for weight loss, though the evidence for that use is weak. In research it is prized for its ability to raise cAMP in almost any cell without needing a specific receptor.

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Supplement

Garlic Extract

Garlic extract is a concentrated preparation made from garlic (Allium sativum), a pungent bulb of the onion family that has served as both food and folk remedy for thousands of years. Its characteristic chemistry comes from sulfur-containing compounds, most notably allicin, which forms when the bulb is crushed [2]. Sold in forms such as garlic powder, garlic oil, and aged garlic extract, it is marketed as a dietary supplement, with research focusing chiefly on modest effects on blood pressure, cholesterol, and immunity [1].

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Supplement

Grape Seed Extract

Grape seed extract is a dietary supplement produced from the seeds of grapes, Vitis vinifera, that remain after winemaking and juice production. It is rich in proanthocyanidins, a class of polyphenolic flavonoid compounds also known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which give the extract strong antioxidant activity in laboratory tests. Marketed for cardiovascular and general antioxidant support, grape seed extract has been studied for effects on blood pressure and blood lipids, with modest findings in some trials.

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Supplement

Magnesium Acetate

Magnesium acetate is the magnesium salt of acetic acid, with the formula Mg(CH3COO)2. It forms white, water-soluble, moisture-absorbing crystals and is used as a food additive, a laboratory buffer, and a source of magnesium. As a dietary ingredient its role is simply to deliver magnesium, an essential mineral, in a soluble form.

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Supplement

Magnesium Citrate

Magnesium citrate is a magnesium salt of citric acid used both as a nutritional source of the mineral magnesium and as a saline osmotic laxative. Among magnesium supplements it is comparatively water-soluble and is generally considered to have good oral bioavailability relative to inorganic salts such as magnesium oxide [1][2]. Taken by mouth, it is used to relieve occasional constipation and to clear the bowel before procedures such as colonoscopy, and it appears in dietary supplements intended to help meet magnesium requirements.

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Supplement

Magnesium Orotate

Magnesium orotate is a salt formed from magnesium and orotic acid, sold as a dietary supplement and, in some countries, as a medicinal product for magnesium deficiency and certain heart-related conditions. It is only sparingly soluble in water, so unlike readily dissociating magnesium salts it produces little laxative effect [1]. Interest in the compound centers on the pairing of magnesium with orotic acid, a pyrimidine precursor proposed to support the energy metabolism of heart muscle [1].

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Supplement

Magnesium Taurate

Magnesium taurate is a compound pairing the mineral magnesium with the amino sulfonic acid taurine, promoted as a dietary supplement chiefly for cardiovascular and metabolic support. Interest in it originated largely from a 1996 hypothesis proposing that magnesium and taurine have complementary effects on blood vessels, blood pressure, and cellular calcium handling [1]. Direct human research on magnesium taurate itself is limited, and much of the supporting laboratory work has used the closely related salt magnesium acetyltaurate [2][3].

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Supplement

Nattokinase

Nattokinase is a protein-digesting enzyme extracted from natto, a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting soybeans with the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. It is a serine protease of the subtilisin family and is notable for its fibrinolytic, or clot-dissolving, activity in the laboratory. It is sold as a dietary supplement marketed for cardiovascular and circulatory support, although rigorous clinical evidence is mixed.

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Adaptogen

Nigella Sativa

Nigella sativa is an annual flowering plant of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), native to parts of western Asia and southeastern Europe and best known for its small black seeds, sold under names such as black seed, black cumin, and kalonji. The seeds have served for millennia as a culinary spice and as a fixture of traditional medicine across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Their most studied constituent is thymoquinone, a compound concentrated in the seed's volatile oil. Laboratory work has documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, though high-quality clinical evidence that the seed or its oil treats human disease remains limited.

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Stimulant

Yohimbine

Yohimbine is an indole alkaloid obtained mainly from the bark of the West African tree Pausinystalia johimbe (yohimbe). Pharmacologically it acts chiefly as an antagonist of alpha-2 adrenergic receptors, and it has a long history as a purported aphrodisiac and a treatment for erectile dysfunction. It is available in some countries as a prescription drug and elsewhere as a dietary supplement, though its stimulant-like cardiovascular effects and inconsistent product quality have raised safety concerns.

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Cardiovascular

Amlodipine

Amlodipine is a long-acting calcium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine type, one of the most widely prescribed medicines for high blood pressure and angina. It works mainly by relaxing the muscle in artery walls, which widens blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and improves blood flow to the heart. Its very long duration of action allows once-daily dosing with a smooth, gradual effect, and it is generally well tolerated apart from ankle swelling and flushing [1].

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Beta-Blocker

Atenolol

Atenolol is a beta-1 selective beta blocker, a cardiovascular drug that blocks the beta-1 adrenergic receptors of the heart. It is used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and certain irregular heart rhythms, and historically after heart attacks. Developed by Imperial Chemical Industries in the 1970s, it is water-soluble and crosses into the brain poorly, which tends to limit central nervous system side effects; many guidelines no longer list it as a first-choice treatment for uncomplicated high blood pressure.

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Cardiovascular

Benidipine

Benidipine is a long-acting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure and angina, marketed chiefly in Japan under the brand name Coniel. It is unusual in blocking three types of calcium channel, the L-, N-, and T-types, rather than the L-type alone, and it also acts on the mineralocorticoid receptor. These properties are linked to protective effects on the kidneys and heart beyond simple blood-pressure lowering.

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Beta-Blocker

Bisoprolol

Bisoprolol is a highly beta-1 selective adrenergic receptor antagonist, among the most cardioselective of the beta-blockers, taken once daily for hypertension, angina, certain arrhythmias and chronic heart failure. Its strong preference for cardiac beta-1 over pulmonary beta-2 receptors improves tolerability and permits cautious use even in many patients with coexisting airway disease. In the landmark CIBIS-II trial it reduced all-cause mortality and sudden cardiac death in stable heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and the later CIBIS-III trial showed that beginning treatment with bisoprolol before an ACE inhibitor is a viable strategy. Individual-patient meta-analyses confirm the survival benefit of beta-blockade in patients in sinus rhythm while indicating attenuated benefit when atrial fibrillation coexists; bisoprolol appears on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines.

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ARB

Candesartan

Candesartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), a class of drugs that lower blood pressure by blocking the effects of the hormone angiotensin II. Marketed mainly as Atacand and taken by mouth as the prodrug candesartan cilexetil, it is used to treat high blood pressure and chronic heart failure. It has also been studied for preventing migraine and, like other ARBs, is generally well tolerated.

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Beta-Blocker

Carvedilol

Carvedilol is a medication of the beta-blocker class that also blocks alpha-1 adrenergic receptors, sometimes described as a third-generation beta-blocker. Sold under brand names such as Coreg, it is used chiefly to treat chronic heart failure, high blood pressure, and left ventricular dysfunction after a heart attack. By blunting the effects of adrenaline on the heart and relaxing blood vessels, and through additional antioxidant properties, it improves survival in heart failure and is considered a standard therapy.

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Cardiovascular

Cilnidipine

Cilnidipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure. Unlike most drugs in its class, it blocks both L-type and N-type calcium channels, the latter located on sympathetic nerve endings, which lets it lower blood pressure while limiting the reflex rise in heart rate seen with some other calcium antagonists. It was approved for medical use in the mid-1990s and is marketed mainly in Japan and several other Asian countries.

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Cardiovascular

Clonidine

Clonidine is a centrally acting alpha-2 adrenergic agonist first developed in the 1960s and originally investigated as a nasal decongestant before its blood-pressure-lowering effect was recognised [1]. It is used to treat high blood pressure and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, to ease opioid and alcohol withdrawal, and for conditions such as tics, menopausal hot flashes and certain forms of pain [1][2][3]. Sold under brand names including Catapres and Kapvay, it works by dialling down the sympathetic nervous system, and it appears on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines [1].

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Cardiovascular

Enalapril

Enalapril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure and chronic heart failure and to help protect kidney function in some patients. It is a prodrug that the body converts into its active form, enalaprilat, which relaxes blood vessels and reduces the strain on the heart. Landmark trials established that it prolongs survival in people with heart failure, and it is taken as an oral tablet.

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Corticosteroid

Fludrocortisone

Fludrocortisone is a synthetic corticosteroid with strong mineralocorticoid activity, meaning it acts much like the natural hormone aldosterone to make the kidneys hold on to sodium and water. It is used mainly to replace missing hormones in adrenal insufficiency, including Addison's disease and the salt-losing form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and to raise blood pressure in some people with orthostatic hypotension. Marketed as the acetate ester under the brand name Florinef, it is taken by mouth and appears on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It also holds a place in pharmaceutical history as one of the first synthetic corticosteroids and the first fluorinated drug to reach the market.

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Blend

Furosemide + Amiloride

Furosemide combined with amiloride is a fixed-dose diuretic preparation that pairs two agents with complementary actions on the kidney, known generically as co-amilofruse and sold under names such as Frumil. Furosemide is a powerful loop diuretic that clears excess fluid but causes the body to lose potassium, while amiloride is a milder potassium-sparing diuretic that counteracts that loss. The combination is used to treat fluid retention, or oedema, as in heart failure, while helping to keep blood potassium from falling too low. Both components appear individually on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

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Cardiovascular

Lisinopril

Lisinopril is a long-acting ACE inhibitor, a class of drugs that relax blood vessels by blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme. It is widely used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, and kidney disease in people with diabetes, and to improve survival after a heart attack. Sold under brand names such as Prinivil and Zestril, it is one of the most commonly prescribed medicines in the world.

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Blend

Lisinopril + Hydrochlorothiazide

Lisinopril + hydrochlorothiazide is a fixed-dose combination medication that pairs an ACE inhibitor with a thiazide diuretic in a single tablet to treat high blood pressure. Lisinopril relaxes blood vessels by blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme, while hydrochlorothiazide helps the kidneys remove excess salt and water. Combining the two lowers blood pressure more than either alone and is typically used when a single drug is not enough. It is sold under brand names such as Zestoretic and Prinzide.

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Nootropic

Losartan

Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) used mainly to treat high blood pressure and to protect the kidneys in people with type 2 diabetes. It was the first drug of its class to reach the market, working by blocking the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor so that blood vessels relax and the heart and kidneys face less strain. Taken by mouth as the potassium salt, it is now a widely available, low-cost generic on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines.

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Blend

Losartan + Hydrochlorothiazide

Losartan/hydrochlorothiazide is a fixed-dose combination antihypertensive that pairs the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan with the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorothiazide in a single tablet. Sold under names such as Hyzaar, it is used to lower blood pressure when one drug is not enough. The two ingredients act through complementary mechanisms, so the combination usually lowers blood pressure more than either component on its own.

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Beta-Blocker

Metoprolol

Metoprolol is a cardioselective beta-1 adrenergic antagonist that slows heart rate and reduces myocardial contractility and workload, lowering blood pressure and cardiac oxygen demand. It is among the most rigorously validated beta-blockers: the MERIT-HF trial demonstrated a significant mortality reduction in chronic heart failure, and, as a lipophilic agent, it reduces sudden cardiac death after myocardial infarction, an effect linked to central penetration and preservation of vagal tone. Its limits are equally well documented; the large POISE trial showed that routine perioperative use lowered myocardial infarction but increased stroke and total mortality, tempering enthusiasm for prophylactic beta-blockade. It is also effective for migraine prevention, and its metabolism by the polymorphic enzyme CYP2D6 contributes to marked interindividual variability now addressed by pharmacogenetic guidelines. It is available as the immediate-release tartrate and extended-release succinate salts.

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Beta-Blocker

Metoprolol Succinate

Metoprolol succinate is the extended-release salt form of the cardioselective beta-1 blocker metoprolol, sold under the brand name Toprol-XL. Formulated to release slowly for once-daily dosing, it produces steady round-the-clock blockade of beta-1 adrenergic receptors, slowing the heart and lowering blood pressure. It is used for high blood pressure, angina, and, notably, chronic heart failure, where extended-release metoprolol has been shown to improve survival; it is distinguished from the immediate-release tartrate salt, and the two are not interchangeable.

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Cardiovascular

Midodrine

Midodrine is an orally administered alpha-1 adrenergic receptor agonist used mainly to treat symptomatic orthostatic hypotension, the fall in blood pressure that occurs on standing. It acts as a prodrug, converting in the body to the active compound desglymidodrine, which narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Marketed under brand names such as ProAmatine and Gutron, it was approved for medical use in the United States in 1996 and is now available as a generic.

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Cardiovascular

Nitroglycerin

Nitroglycerin, also known as glyceryl trinitrate, is a nitrate vasodilator used chiefly to relieve and prevent the chest pain of angina. The same three-carbon molecule is the active ingredient of the well-known explosive, but in medicine it is given in tiny, controlled doses that widen blood vessels and ease the heart's workload. It has been used therapeutically since the 1870s, making it one of the oldest cardiovascular drugs still in routine use. It is supplied in several fast-acting and longer-acting forms, including sublingual tablets and sprays, ointments, skin patches, and intravenous solutions.

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Blend

Olmesartan + Amlodipine + Hydrochlorothiazide

Olmesartan plus amlodipine plus hydrochlorothiazide is a fixed-dose antihypertensive tablet that combines three blood-pressure medicines with complementary actions: the angiotensin II receptor blocker olmesartan medoxomil, the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker amlodipine, and the thiazide diuretic hydrochlorothiazide. The single-pill regimen is intended for adults whose high blood pressure is not adequately controlled on a two-drug combination, and in the United States it is marketed under the brand name Tribenzor. By pairing agents that act on different parts of the cardiovascular system, the tablet is designed to lower blood pressure more fully while reducing the number of pills a person must take.

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ARB

Olmesartan Medoxomil

Olmesartan medoxomil is an orally active angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) used to treat high blood pressure in adults and children. It is the prodrug form of olmesartan, meaning it is absorbed as an inactive medoxomil ester and then rapidly converted in the body to the active compound, which selectively blocks the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor. Developed by Sankyo, now Daiichi Sankyo, and co-marketed in some regions with Merck, it was patented in the early 1990s and reached medical use in 2002, and it is sold under brand names such as Benicar and Olmetec.

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Blend

Olmesartan Medoxomil + Azelnidipine

Olmesartan medoxomil plus azelnidipine is a fixed-dose antihypertensive tablet that combines an angiotensin II receptor blocker with a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker. Marketed chiefly in Japan under the brand name Rezaltas, it pairs olmesartan, which relaxes blood vessels by blocking the AT1 receptor, with azelnidipine, a calcium channel blocker noted for its gradual onset and minimal effect on heart rate. The single-pill format is used to control blood pressure in patients for whom one drug is not enough, delivering two complementary agents in one daily tablet.

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Blend

Olmesartan Medoxomil + Hydrochlorothiazide

Olmesartan medoxomil plus hydrochlorothiazide is a fixed-dose antihypertensive tablet that combines an angiotensin II receptor blocker with a thiazide diuretic. It is used to treat high blood pressure in adults whose pressure is not controlled by olmesartan or a diuretic alone, and it is sold under brand names such as Benicar HCT and Olmetec Plus. Pairing the two drugs lets their blood-pressure-lowering effects add together while the receptor blocker helps counter the potassium loss that a diuretic can cause.

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Blend

Olmesartan Medoxomil + Metoprolol

Olmesartan medoxomil plus metoprolol is a fixed-dose tablet that combines an angiotensin II receptor blocker with a cardioselective beta blocker. It brings together olmesartan, which lowers blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, and metoprolol, which slows the heart and reduces its workload by blocking beta-1 adrenergic receptors. The combination is used mainly for high blood pressure in patients who also benefit from a beta blocker, such as those with certain heart rhythm problems, angina, or a history of heart attack, and it is marketed as a single-pill product in countries including India.

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Cardiovascular

Prazosin

Prazosin is a selective alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist (an alpha-1 blocker) of the quinazoline class. Introduced in the 1970s to treat high blood pressure, it relaxes blood vessels and smooth muscle, and it is now also used off-label to reduce the nightmares and sleep disruption of post-traumatic stress disorder, to ease the urinary symptoms of an enlarged prostate, and in Raynaud's phenomenon. It is sold under the brand name Minipress and is widely available as a generic oral medicine.

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Cardiovascular

Ramipril

Ramipril is an angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure and to lower cardiovascular risk. It is given as a prodrug that the body converts into its active form, ramiprilat. Widely prescribed, it is available as an inexpensive generic medicine.

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Cardiovascular

Spironolactone

Spironolactone is a medication that blocks the hormone aldosterone at the mineralocorticoid receptor, making it a potassium-sparing diuretic and antimineralocorticoid. It is used to treat heart failure, resistant high blood pressure, fluid retention, and primary hyperaldosteronism, and because it also weakly blocks androgen receptors it is widely prescribed for acne, hirsutism, and as part of feminizing hormone therapy. Discovered in the late 1950s, it is a generic drug on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines.

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Blend

Telmisartan + Cilnidipine + Chlorthalidone

Telmisartan with cilnidipine and chlorthalidone is a fixed-dose combination medicine that unites three blood-pressure-lowering drugs with complementary actions in a single tablet. It pairs an angiotensin II receptor blocker (telmisartan), a dual L-type and N-type calcium channel blocker (cilnidipine), and a thiazide-like diuretic (chlorthalidone). Single-pill combinations of this kind are used when hypertension is not adequately controlled by one or two agents, and they aim to simplify treatment and improve adherence.

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Blend

Telmisartan + Nebivolol

Telmisartan + Nebivolol is a fixed-dose antihypertensive combination that pairs telmisartan, a long-acting angiotensin II receptor blocker, with nebivolol, a highly beta-1-selective, vasodilating beta-blocker. The two drugs lower blood pressure by complementary routes: telmisartan interrupts the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, while nebivolol slows the heart and relaxes blood vessels partly by promoting nitric oxide release. The product is marketed mainly as a single pill for people whose hypertension is better controlled when renin-angiotensin blockade is joined with heart-rate and sympathetic control.

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Cardiovascular

Terazosin

Terazosin is a selective alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist of the quinazoline class, used mainly to relieve the urinary symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia and, less commonly, to lower blood pressure. By blocking alpha-1 receptors it relaxes smooth muscle in the prostate, bladder neck, and the walls of blood vessels. It is a long-acting, once-daily oral drug, available generically since its introduction in the 1980s, and has more recently drawn research attention for an unrelated action on the glycolytic enzyme phosphoglycerate kinase 1 [1].

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Diuretic

Torsemide

Torsemide, also spelled torasemide, is a loop diuretic used to treat fluid overload and swelling associated with heart failure, kidney disease, and liver disease, as well as high blood pressure [1]. It increases urine output by blocking salt reabsorption in the kidney, and compared with the older loop diuretic furosemide it is more completely absorbed and longer acting [1]. Marketed under names such as Demadex, it appears on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.

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ARB

Valsartan

Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker that selectively antagonizes the AT1 receptor, relaxing blood vessels and blunting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system without the cough associated with ACE inhibitors. It carries an unusually deep clinical-trial pedigree: Val-HeFT established its benefit when added to standard heart-failure therapy, VALIANT showed it was as effective as captopril after myocardial infarction, and VALUE evaluated it in high-risk hypertension, while the NAVIGATOR trial found it modestly reduced progression to type 2 diabetes in people with impaired glucose tolerance. It is a component of sacubitril/valsartan, the angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor that outperformed enalapril in the PARADIGM-HF trial and reshaped heart-failure care. Preclinical work has also suggested a neuroprotective angle, with valsartan lowering brain amyloid-beta and improving spatial learning in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease.

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Cardiovascular

Verapamil

Verapamil is a prescription medication of the calcium channel blocker class, specifically a non-dihydropyridine agent of the phenylalkylamine type. It is used to treat high blood pressure, angina and certain fast heart rhythms that arise above the ventricles, and it also serves as a first-line drug for preventing cluster headaches. Introduced in the 1960s, it works by slowing the movement of calcium into heart and blood-vessel cells.

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Stimulant

Clenbuterol

Clenbuterol is used for fat loss, and that is the only reason most people encounter it, so it is worth being direct about what the evidence supports. It is a long-acting beta-2 agonist licensed in some countries as an asthma bronchodilator and widely used in veterinary medicine; it raises metabolic rate and drives lipolysis, and in livestock and rodents it reliably shifts body composition toward lean mass [32][31]. What is missing is the human version of that result. There is no controlled trial showing clenbuterol produces meaningful fat loss in healthy people, while there is a systematic review of case reports documenting what it does produce: tachycardia, arrhythmia, myocarditis and hospital admissions [14]. The gap between those two literatures is the whole story.

3 outlets

ARB

Telmisartan

Telmisartan is an orally active angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) of the benzimidazole class, used mainly to treat high blood pressure and to lower cardiovascular risk by blocking the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor. Unusually for its class it also behaves as a partial agonist of the nuclear receptor PPAR-gamma, the same target as the diabetes glitazones, which underlies its interest in metabolic disease; it also has the longest plasma half-life and highest lipophilicity of the marketed ARBs, giving persistent blood-pressure control and central nervous system penetration that has prompted study of cognitive and neuroprotective effects. It is given once daily.

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Beta-Blocker

Nebivolol

Nebivolol is a beta blocker used chiefly to treat high blood pressure and, in some countries, chronic heart failure. It is highly selective for beta-1 adrenergic receptors and is often called a third-generation beta blocker because it also promotes the release of nitric oxide, which relaxes and widens blood vessels. This vasodilating property distinguishes it from older beta blockers and is thought to contribute to its blood-pressure-lowering effect.

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Diuretic

Eplerenone

Eplerenone is a selective aldosterone receptor antagonist, a steroidal drug of the spirolactone group used mainly in cardiovascular medicine. By blocking the mineralocorticoid receptor, it reduces sodium and water retention, lowering blood pressure and easing the workload on the heart. It is prescribed for high blood pressure and to improve survival in certain forms of heart failure. Approved for medical use in the United States in 2002, it is sold under the brand name Inspra, among others.

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Diuretic

HCTZ

Hydrochlorothiazide, often abbreviated HCTZ, is a thiazide diuretic used chiefly to treat high blood pressure and fluid retention. Introduced in the late 1950s, it remains one of the most widely prescribed antihypertensive drugs and appears on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. It acts on the kidney to increase the excretion of sodium and water, lowering blood volume and, in turn, blood pressure.

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Diuretic

Furosemide

Furosemide is a loop diuretic medication used to remove excess fluid from the body in conditions such as heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney disease, and to lower high blood pressure. It works in the kidney by blocking the reabsorption of salt in a segment of the nephron called the loop of Henle, producing a strong increase in urine output. Sold for decades under the brand name Lasix, it is one of the most widely prescribed medicines and appears on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It can be taken by mouth or given by injection when a rapid effect is needed.

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Nootropic

Amphetamine

Amphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant and the parent compound of a broad family of related drugs. In medicine it is used chiefly to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, where it improves attention, wakefulness, and impulse control by raising the brain's levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine [1]. It also has a long history of recreational misuse and a potential for dependence, and it is tightly regulated as a controlled substance in most countries [1].

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Nootropic

Dexmethylphenidate

Dexmethylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is the more active of the two mirror-image forms of methylphenidate, specifically the d-threo enantiomer, and is sold under the brand name Focalin in immediate-release and extended-release forms. By blocking the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, it raises the availability of these neurotransmitters in the brain. In the United States it is a Schedule II controlled substance available only by prescription.

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Nootropic

Dextroamphetamine

Dextroamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant and the more active of the two mirror-image forms of amphetamine. It is used mainly to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, and it forms the active component of several widely prescribed medicines, including Dexedrine, the mixed-salt product Adderall, and the prodrug lisdexamfetamine. The drug works by increasing the release and availability of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Because it carries a risk of dependence and misuse, it is a Schedule II controlled substance in the United States.

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ADHD

Guanfacine

Guanfacine is a non-stimulant ADHD medication and a selective alpha-2A adrenergic receptor agonist, sold as extended-release Intuniv for ADHD and immediate-release Tenex for high blood pressure. It has no dopaminergic reward action and no abuse potential, but it lowers blood pressure and heart rate and must never be stopped abruptly because of rebound hypertension.

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Nootropic

Lisdexamfetamine

Lisdexamfetamine is a central nervous system stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder. It is a prodrug of dextroamphetamine, meaning it is inactive until the body converts it into the active stimulant, which gives it a smooth, long-lasting effect. Sold mainly under the brand name Vyvanse, it is a once-daily oral medicine and a controlled substance.

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ADHD

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a potent central nervous system stimulant of the substituted amphetamine class. Although it has a limited approved medical role in treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity, it is far better known as an illicitly manufactured drug of abuse, sold in crystalline form and taken for its intense euphoria and stimulation. Methamphetamine raises levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the brain, and heavy use is strongly addictive and can damage dopamine-releasing nerve cells.

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Nootropic

Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant widely used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Sold under brand names such as Ritalin and Concerta, it works by blocking the reuptake of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, raising their levels in the brain and improving attention and impulse control. First synthesized in the 1940s, it is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD and is a controlled substance because of its potential for misuse.

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Nootropic

Serdexmethylphenidate

Serdexmethylphenidate is a prodrug of the stimulant dexmethylphenidate, created by attaching the amino acid serine to the active drug so that it is only slowly converted to its active form in the gastrointestinal tract. It is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is marketed in the United States as part of the combination capsule Azstarys, which pairs it with a small amount of immediate-release dexmethylphenidate. The prodrug design gives a rapid onset with an extended duration of effect and is intended to reduce the potential for misuse.

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Nootropic

Viloxazine

Viloxazine, sold as extended-release Qelbree, is a non-stimulant ADHD medication approved for children, adolescents, and adults. It works mainly as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with additional serotonergic modulation and is not a controlled substance; however, it carries an FDA boxed warning for suicidal thoughts and behaviors and is a strong CYP1A2 inhibitor with important drug interactions.

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Antihypertensive

Atiprosin

Atiprosin is an investigational antihypertensive agent that acts as a selective alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, developed in the 1980s and never marketed.

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Antidepressant

Azepindole

Azepindole is an experimental tricyclic compound from the late 1960s that was studied for combined antidepressant and antihypertensive (blood-pressure lowering) effects. It was never marketed.

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Supplement

Beetroot Extract

Beetroot extract is a concentrated preparation from the root of the beet (Beta vulgaris), best known as a rich dietary source of inorganic nitrate. Once consumed, that nitrate is converted in the body into nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels, and this underpins beetroot's most studied effects: modest reductions in blood pressure and improvements in exercise efficiency and endurance. It also contains the red betalain pigment betanin and is sold as juice, powder, and concentrated shots.

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Supplement

Chlorogenic Acid

Chlorogenic acid is a natural polyphenol, formed as an ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid, that is found in many plants and is especially abundant in coffee [1][2]. Despite its name it contains no chlorine; the term refers to the light green tint it forms when oxidized [1]. It is one of the main phenolic compounds in the human diet, obtained from coffee, fruits, and vegetables, and standardized green coffee extracts rich in it are sold as supplements for weight and metabolic health [1][3]. Laboratory work points to antioxidant activity, and some clinical studies suggest modest effects on blood pressure and metabolism, but the overall evidence remains preliminary [1][3][4].

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Neurosteroid

Deoxycorticosterone

Deoxycorticosterone (11-deoxycorticosterone, 21-hydroxyprogesterone; also called cortexone or desoxycortone) is an endogenous steroid hormone made by the adrenal cortex that functions both as a mineralocorticoid and as the metabolic precursor to a potent neurosteroid. Acting through the mineralocorticoid receptor (a ligand-activated transcription factor that governs sodium and water balance), it promotes renal salt retention with an affinity close to that of aldosterone. Its principal relevance to neuropharmacology is as the parent compound of 3-alpha,5-alpha-tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone (THDOC), a positive allosteric modulator of the GABA-A receptor (the brain's main inhibitory chloride channel) that is released during stress and shapes seizure threshold, anxiety, and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Deoxycorticosterone should not be confused with the psychedelic amphetamine also abbreviated DOC (2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine), which is an entirely unrelated compound.

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Supplement

Glycerol

Glycerol, also called glycerine, is a simple sugar alcohol with three hydroxyl groups, a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, and syrupy liquid that mixes readily with water. It occurs naturally as the backbone of fats and oils, from which it is released during their breakdown, and it is produced on a large scale both from plant and animal fats and as a byproduct of soap and biodiesel manufacture. Because it strongly attracts and holds water, glycerol is used widely as a humectant and solvent in foods, medicines, and personal-care products, and it also serves niche roles in medicine and sports hydration.

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Bioregulator

Goralatide

Goralatide is the drug name for Ac-SDKP (N-acetyl-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro), an endogenous acetylated tetrapeptide the body makes by trimming the N-terminus of thymosin beta-4. It has two jobs research cares about: it holds blood-forming stem cells in a resting state (which shielded them during chemo in early trials), and it acts as a natural brake on tissue fibrosis and inflammation.

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Supplement

Hawthorn

Hawthorn is the common name for Crataegus, a large genus of thorny shrubs and small trees in the rose family, Rosaceae, found across the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The leaves, flowers, and small red fruits, or haws, carry a long history in herbal medicine, most prominently as a remedy for the heart and circulation. Standardized leaf-and-flower extracts have been studied as an adjunct treatment for chronic heart failure, with mixed results.

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Amphetamine

Levoamphetamine

Levoamphetamine is the other half of Adderall. Mixed amphetamine salts are three parts dextroamphetamine to one part levoamphetamine, and this is the part almost nobody talks about, despite it being the main pharmacological difference between Adderall and plain dextroamphetamine. The two enantiomers are not equivalent: the levo form is markedly weaker at releasing dopamine and relatively stronger on noradrenaline, which shifts its profile toward peripheral and cardiovascular effects and away from the central reinforcement that makes the dextro form what it is [1]. It is not sold on its own; it is a component.

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Supplement

Lycopene

Lycopene is a bright red carotenoid pigment found most abundantly in tomatoes and other red fruits such as watermelon and pink grapefruit. Chemically it is a tetraterpene hydrocarbon, and unlike some carotenoids it has no vitamin A activity. It is valued as a dietary antioxidant and as a natural food colorant, and it has been studied for possible roles in prostate and cardiovascular health, though the clinical evidence is mixed.

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Nootropic

McN-A-343

McN-A-343 is a quaternary muscarinic agonist that served for decades as the standard tool for identifying M1-mediated responses, and which is now understood to owe that apparent selectivity to uneven efficacy and to a second, allosteric binding site rather than to selective binding.

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Supplement

Menaquinone-7

Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) is a long-chain form of vitamin K2, one of the naturally occurring menaquinones distinguished by a side chain of seven isoprenoid units. It is produced by bacterial fermentation and is found most abundantly in the Japanese fermented soybean dish natto. Like other K vitamins, it acts as a cofactor for the enzyme that activates vitamin K-dependent proteins involved in blood clotting, bone mineralization, and the regulation of soft-tissue calcification. Compared with shorter menaquinones and with vitamin K1, MK-7 has a notably long half-life in the bloodstream, which has helped make it a popular dietary supplement.

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Peptide

MKP

MKP is Met-Lys-Pro, a tripeptide released from bovine casein, sold as a food ingredient and by peptide vendors. ⚠️ The name is ambiguous and worth pinning down: chemical databases resolve the bare string to monopotassium phosphate, a fertiliser salt, and the biology literature usually means MAP kinase phosphatase, a protein family. Neither is what is sold under this name. The peptide inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme with an IC50 near 0.3 micromolar [1] and lowers blood pressure modestly in trials [3].

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Stimulant

Norephedrine

Norephedrine is a minor metabolite of amphetamine and, under its other name phenylpropanolamine, a drug that was in half the medicine cabinets in America. It was sold for decades as a decongestant and an over-the-counter appetite suppressant, and it was withdrawn after a case-control study found it associated with haemorrhagic stroke, with the risk concentrated in women and appearing in first-time users of the appetite-suppressant form [1]. It is the clearest example on this site of a compound whose long, uneventful record of ordinary use was not evidence of safety, only evidence that nobody had looked properly.

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Supplement

Oleuropein

Oleuropein is a phenolic compound of the secoiridoid class and one of the main polyphenols of the olive tree. It is found in olive leaves, in olives, and in smaller amounts in olive oil, and it is chiefly responsible for the bitter taste of unprocessed olives. Structurally it combines the antioxidant hydroxytyrosol with elenolic acid and a sugar unit. It has been studied for a range of biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular effects, and is regarded as a dietary and research compound rather than an approved medicine.

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Adaptogen

Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract is a herbal preparation made from the leaves of the olive tree, Olea europaea, and sold as a dietary supplement. The leaves are rich in polyphenols, above all oleuropein and its relative hydroxytyrosol, which are considered the extract's main active constituents. Olive leaves have a long history in Mediterranean folk medicine, where they were brewed as a tea for fever and other complaints. Modern research, including several small clinical trials, has examined the extract mainly for effects on blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar, though the overall evidence remains limited.

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Nootropic

PACAP

PACAP, short for pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide, is a naturally occurring neuropeptide that acts as a hormone, neurotransmitter, and neuromodulator. Encoded by the ADCYAP1 gene and closely related to vasoactive intestinal peptide, it signals through G protein-coupled receptors to raise cellular cAMP and takes part in the stress response, circadian timing, and neuroprotection. It has become a prominent target in migraine research, since infusing PACAP can trigger migraine-like attacks in susceptible people.

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Supplement

Pomegranate Extract

Pomegranate extract is a concentrated preparation made from the fruit, peel or arils of the pomegranate (Punica granatum), valued for its high content of polyphenols. Its most studied constituents are the ellagitannins, especially the punicalagins, together with ellagic acid and the anthocyanin pigments that give pomegranate its red colour. Sold as a dietary supplement in capsule, powder and liquid forms, it is promoted for antioxidant and cardiovascular support, although the strength of the clinical evidence differs by preparation and outcome.

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Supplement

Punicalagins

Punicalagins are large polyphenol molecules of the ellagitannin type, found most abundantly in the pomegranate. They are among the compounds responsible for the strong antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice and peel, and in the body they are broken down into ellagic acid and then into gut-derived metabolites called urolithins. Research on punicalagins and their metabolites has examined antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular effects, though most of the evidence comes from laboratory and animal studies.

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Supplement

Rutin

Rutin is a flavonoid, specifically a glycoside formed from the flavonol quercetin joined to the sugar rutinose. It occurs widely in plants, with notably high levels in buckwheat, and is also found in citrus fruits, tea, apples, and many vegetables. Sold as a dietary supplement and used in some vasoprotective preparations, it is studied mainly for its antioxidant properties and its possible effects on veins and capillaries.

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Nootropic

Vasopressin

Vasopressin, also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or arginine vasopressin, is a peptide hormone made in the hypothalamus and released from the posterior pituitary gland. It helps the body conserve water by concentrating the urine and, at higher levels, narrows blood vessels to raise blood pressure. A manufactured form is used as a medicine in critical care, for example to support blood pressure in shock and to treat certain forms of diabetes insipidus.

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