Nilvadipine is a potent calcium channel blocker that is used for treatment of hypertension. Nilvadipine, as other dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, decreases intracellular calcium concentration causing dilation of the coronary and systemic arteries. Nilvadipine acutely reduced brain Aβ levels in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer′s disease (AD).
Nilvadipine, apart from its antihypertensive effect, is known to decrease the accumulation of ?-amyloid protein in the brain. Therefore, it is effective in the treatment of Alzheimer’;s disease. Nilvadipine also promotes cognitive function in hypertensive patients.