Efficacy of the superoxide dismutase mimetic tempol in animal hypertension models: a meta-analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Considering the growing body of evidence that indicates the contribution of superoxide anions (O2) and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) to the development of hypertension, we assessed whether animal models of hypertension have a benefic effect with tempol, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, to help augment the design of future studies.


METHODS
Studies published between July 1998 and December 2012 on blood pressure (BP) in different hypertensive models were obtained after an electronic and manual search of PubMed. In-depth analyses of the methodological quality of the studies and the mean arterial pressure (MAP) changes after treatment with tempol were performed, as well as the subgroup analyses on the route of tempol delivery.


RESULTS
Out of the 144 identified studies, 28 were included after screening. The data showed that tempol reduced MAP by computing the standardized mean difference with the value of 4.622 (95% confidence interval 3.24-5.99). The quality of studies included in the meta-analysis was category II; however, omission of details in the trials might have biased the results. There was substantial heterogeneity in the results with an I of 94.45%, which persisted after stratifying for the route of tempol delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, this analysis shows that antioxidant treatment with tempol can reduce BP, suggesting that ROS plays a role in the pathogenesis of increased BP in the hypertension models used in the current research practice.
aResearch in Biological Sciences - NUPEB, Federal University of Ouro Preto bDepartment of Statistics, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto cDepartment of Biological Sciences, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto dDepartment of Foods, School of Nutrition, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Waleska C
WC
Dornas
Maísa
M
Silva
Ricardo
R
Tavares
Wanderson G
WG
de Lima
Rinaldo C
RC
dos Santos
Maria L
ML
Pedrosa
Marcelo E
ME
Silva
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013113:Spin Labels; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D003497:Cyclic N-Oxides; D013113:Spin Labels; D013481:Superoxides; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C001803:tempol