Rilmenidine is a drug that doctors often prescribe to treat high blood pressure. But now, researchers believe it might do more than just control blood pressure.
A recent study published in the journal Aging Cell shows that rilmenidine may help people live longer and stay healthier as they age. The best part? This drug is already widely used and has very few side effects.
The research was led by Professor João Pedro Magalhães, who started the work at the University of Liverpool and now continues it at the University of Birmingham.
His team wanted to find out if rilmenidine could affect lifespan, so they used tiny roundworms called C. elegans. These worms are commonly used in aging research because they have short lifespans and share many biological traits with humans.
The results were exciting. The worms treated with rilmenidine lived longer and stayed healthier. Their health improvements were similar to what happens when animals eat fewer calories, a process known as caloric restriction.
Scientists already know that eating less can help animals live longer, but it’s hard to apply this idea to humans because of the side effects and challenges.
The researchers discovered that rilmenidine works through a special receptor in the body called the I1-imidazoline receptor, also known as nish-1. This receptor seems to play a key role in how the drug helps improve health and lifespan.
Why does this matter? Many studies have shown that eating less can lead to a longer life. But since that’s not easy for people to follow, finding a drug that mimics those effects could be very useful. Rilmenidine might be the answer.
Because it is already being used safely to treat high blood pressure, it could be tested in humans for its anti-aging benefits sooner rather than later.
As the world’s population continues to age, there’s a growing need to find ways to help people stay healthy for longer. Professor Magalhães says that even small delays in aging can have big benefits for society.
The next steps are to study whether rilmenidine has other helpful effects and to run human trials. While more research is needed, this discovery gives hope that a common and safe drug might one day help people live longer and healthier lives.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies about breakfast for better blood pressure management, and the gut feeling that lowers blood pressure.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how the dash diet helps lower blood pressure, and how to eat your way to healthy blood pressure.
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