Minoxidil Suppressed Cerebral Ischemic Injury by Direct Effect on Neural Tissues but Not by Reducing Blood Pressure

The study investigated whether minoxidil's neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia were due to its blood pressure-lowering properties or a direct effect on neural tissues. Using a transient ischemia model in C57/BL mice, researchers found that while minoxidil administration suppressed nerve tissue damage, a combination of losartan and doxazosin, which also lowered blood pressure, did not offer the same protection. This suggested that minoxidil's neuroprotective effect was independent of its ability to reduce blood pressure.