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NCT04415333

Gut Butyrate and Blood Pressure in African Americans

Completed Phase 1 Results posted Last updated 18 October 2023
What this trial tests

Phase 1 trial testing Sodium Butyrate 5 mmol in Hypertension in 20 participants. Completed in 2 November 2021.

Timeline
8 July 2021
Primary endpoint
1 November 2021
2 November 2021

Quick facts

Lead sponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
PhasePhase 1
StatusCompleted
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationrandomized
Designcrossover
Maskingquadruple
Primary purposeother
Enrollment20
Start date8 July 2021
Primary completion1 November 2021
Estimated completion2 November 2021
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Who can join

Adults 30 to 50, any sex, with Hypertension. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Mean Daytime Blood Pressure Primary · approximately 16 hours post enema

Immediately following self-administration of butyrate enema, participants will be fitted with an ambulatory blood pressure monitor to be worn for 24 hours.

GroupValue95% CI
Sodium Butyrate [5 mmol]137.5± 13.47
Sodium Butyrate [80 mmol]132.9± 12.64
Control128.2± 16.31
Mean Nighttime Blood Pressure Primary · approximately 8 hours post enema

Immediately following self-administration of butyrate enema, participants will be fitted with an ambulatory blood pressure monitor to be worn for 24 hours.

GroupValue95% CI
Sodium Butyrate [5 mmol]123.2± 13.5
Sodium Butyrate [80 mmol]116.2± 10.9
Control114.0± 12.8
Blood Butyrate Concentrations Secondary · up to 1 hour post enema

Measure blood butyrate concentrations before, 30 minutes post, and 60 minutes post self-administration of the butyrate enemas

Baseline
GroupValue95% CI
Sodium Butyrate [5 mmol]143.88± 20.62
Sodium Butyrate [80 mmol]138.60± 16.84
Control149.89± 45.47
30 Minutes Post
GroupValue95% CI
Sodium Butyrate [5 mmol]138.64± 11.29
Sodium Butyrate [80 mmol]151.57± 36.12
Interleukin-1 Beta (IL-1β) Concentration Secondary · up to 1 hour post enema

Blood biomarker samples were collected for the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β.

GroupValue95% CI
Sodium Butyrate [5 mmol]NA± NA
Sodium Butyrate [80 mmol]NA± NA
ControlNA± NA

Sponsor's own description

African Americans have the greatest burden of hypertension. Recently, the short-chain fatty acid, butyrate, has been reported to have some effect on blood pressure. Butyrate is not normally ingested since it is made by bacteria in the gut as a byproduct of fiber fermentation. In this proof of concept study, the investigators will investigate the effect of butyrate absorbed in the gut (via the participant self-administering an enema with butyrate) has on blood pressure.

Publications & conference data

6 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Human Stool Metabolome Differs upon 24 h Blood Pressure Levels and Blood Pressure Dipping Status: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.
    Huart J, Cirillo A, Taminiau B, Descy J, et al · · 2021 · cited 13× · PMID 33946722 · DOI 10.3390/metabo11050282
  2. Distinct Gene Expression Profiles in Colonic Organoids from Normotensive and the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats.
    Li J, Richards EM, Handberg EM, Pepine CJ, et al · · 2021 · cited 6× · PMID 34204247 · DOI 10.3390/cells10061523
  3. Influence of Butyrate on Impaired Gene Expression in Colon from Patients with High Blood Pressure.
    Li J, Richards EM, Handberg EM, Pepine CJ, et al · · 2023 · cited 5× · PMID 36768972 · DOI 10.3390/ijms24032650
  4. Effect of Acute Gut Butyrate Delivery on Blood Pressure in Black Individuals With Hypertension: A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Study.
    Hogue T, Das P, Reczek S, Hampton-Marcell J, et al · · 2025 · cited 4× · PMID 40736085 · DOI 10.1161/jaha.124.039759
  5. Gut Butyrate Reduction in Blood Pressure Is Associated with Other Vegetables, Whole Fruit, Total Grains, and Sodium Intake.
    San Diego L, Hogue T, Hampton-Marcell J, Carroll IM, et al · · 2025 · cited 2× · PMID 40284255 · DOI 10.3390/nu17081392
  6. Chemical approaches targeting the hurdles of hepatocyte transplantation: mechanisms, applications, and advances.
    Shi H, Ding Y, Sun P, Lv Z, et al · · 2024 · cited 1× · PMID 39544361 · DOI 10.3389/fcell.2024.1480226

Verify or expand the search:

Other recruiting trials for Hypertension

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

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Data sources for this page

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Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing