Minocycline to lower hard-to-control high blood pressure by targeting the gut–brain–immune link
Official title: Antihypertensive Mechanisms of Minocycline in Resistant Hypertension: Role of the gut microbiota-brain-immune axis
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11292408 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether the antibiotic minocycline can help people with resistant high blood pressure by changing gut bacteria and calming inflammation that affects the brain and immune system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $646,654 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL132448-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11292408 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with resistant hypertension—blood pressure that remains uncontrolled despite being on three or more blood pressure medicines—are the most likely candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People whose blood pressure is well controlled on current therapy or whose hypertension is driven primarily by fluid overload needing device-based treatments may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
You would join work that connects gut bacteria, a leaky gut, nervous system inflammation, and very high blood pressure that does not respond to many medicines. Researchers will combine laboratory findings with human measures, enrolling people with resistant hypertension (including White and African American participants) to collect stool and blood samples, blood pressure readings, and markers of nervous system and immune activity. Some work builds on animal results that showed blood pressure fell with minocycline, and the team will look for the same biological signals in people. The goal is to understand how minocycline works so doctors can design new, more targeted treatments for hard-to-treat blood pressure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a new, medicine-based option to lower blood pressure in people whose hypertension stays high despite multiple drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies and early human signals indicate minocycline can lower blood pressure, but confirming the mechanisms in people remains novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Steven Michael — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Smith, Steven Michael
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.