Hydrochlorothiazide (Molecule of the Month for March 2003)
Hydrochlorothiazide is a drug used to treat high blood pressure.
It is a thiazide diuretic and exhibits the typical action of one. Its action is to deplete the body’s sodium stores. It also reduces the levels of chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate and magnesium. The drug also reduces the loss of calcium.
The drug inhibits cell’s reabsorption of NaCl. Thiazides are organic anions and bind to the site of the Cl- on the sodium chloride transporter molecule preventing it from picking up NaCl. The depletion of NaCl stores in the body reduces blood pressure and cardiac output. After a few weeks cardiac output returns to a normal level. Distal calcium reabsorption is also increased.
Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
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Hydrochlorothiazide structure
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C7 H8 Cl N3 O4 S2
Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for
March 2003
)
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