Adrenomedullin as a potent antioxidative and antiatherosclerotic substance.

Adrenomedullin was originally discovered as a vasodilative peptide, but recent studies have revealed its pleiotropic effects. Among these studies, the antioxidative properties of adrenomedullin were observed in adrenomedullin knockout mice. Through its antioxidative effect, adrenomedullin can protect organs from damage induced by high blood pressure, ischemia and aging. This indicates that antioxidants that can inhibit reactive oxygen species production but do not have a scavenging effect could be a new effective therapeutic target for organ protection in hypertension as well as metabolic syndrome, in which higher oxidative stress plays a pivotal role.