Old blood pressure drug shows promise in preventing vision loss

NIH researchers investigated the potential of reserpine, originally approved in 1955 for high blood pressure, to treat retinitis pigmentosa, a rare inherited disease causing vision loss. The study, published in eLife, involved animal models to assess the drug's effectiveness. Findings showed that reserpine preserved the structure and function of rod photoreceptors, the retinal cells responsible for converting light into visual signals; this neuroprotective effect was observed particularly in female rats. Results suggest reserpine's potential as a therapeutic option for retinitis pigmentosa, offering a faster and potentially more cost-effective alternative to gene-specific therapies. While reserpine is no longer used for treating high blood pressure because of its side effects, researchers say the required dosage for treating retinal degeneration would be very low and directly delivered in the eye.

Source:

(2025, April 15). NIH. Repurposing a blood pressure drug may prevent vision loss in inherited blinding diseases. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/repurposing-blood-pressure-drug-may-prevent-vision-loss-inherited-blinding-diseases