Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

Bendroflumethiazide (INN), formerly bendrofluazide (BAN) is a thiazide diuretic used to treat hypertension. CORZIDE (Nadolol and Bendroflumethiazide Tablets) for oral administration combines two antihypertensive agents: CORGARD (nadolol), a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent, and NATURETIN (bendroflumethiazide), a thiazide diuretic-antihypertensive. Bendroflumethiazide works by inhibiting sodium reabsorption at the beginning of the distal convoluted tubule (DCT). Bendroflumethiazide inhibits active chloride reabsorption at the early distal tubule via the Na-Cl cotransporter, resulting in an increase in the excretion of sodium, chloride, and water. Thiazides like bendroflumethiazide also inhibit sodium ion transport across the renal tubular epithelium through binding to the thiazide sensitive sodium-chloride transporter. This results in an increase in potassium excretion via the sodium-potassium exchange mechanism. The antihypertensive mechanism of bendroflumethiazide is less well understood although it may be mediated through its action on carbonic anhydrases in the smooth muscle or through its action on the large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (KCa) channel, also found in the smooth muscle. Thiazides do not affect normal blood pressure. Onset of action of thiazides occurs in two hours and the peak effect at about four hours. Duration of action persists for approximately six to 12 hours. Thiazides are eliminated rapidly by the kidney.   ^NCATS