The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes.Recently, telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist that has an antihypertensive effect, has been reported to be a partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR ) agonist. The anti-diabetic hormone adiponectin has been recognized as a marker of in vivo PPAR activation. Therefore, we studied telmisartan's effect on the metabolic profile and adiponectin levels in a fructose-induced hypertensive, hyperinsulinemic, hyperlipidemic rat model. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (eight in each). One group of control rats was fed standard chow for 5 weeks while a second was fed a fructose-enriched diet. A third group was fed a fructose-enriched diet for 5 weeks and treated with telmisartan 5 mg/kg/day during the last 2 weeks. Fructose feeding increased systolic blood pressure (mean± SEM), from 130 ± 1 to 148 ± 2 mmHg, insulin from 0.26 ± 0.03 to 0.68 ± 0.08 ng/mL, and triglycerides from 102 ± 6 to 285 ± 23 mg/dL ( p < 0.05 for all variables). Telmisartan treatment reversed these effects and reduced blood pressure to 125 ± 2 mmHg, insulin levels to 0.41 ± 0.07 ng/mL, and triglycerides to 146 ± 18 mg/dL ( p < 0.05 for all variables), while attenuating the increase in body weight during weeks 3 to 5. In contrast, telmisartan did not affect plasma adiponectin levels. In conclusion, although telmisartan is considered a partial PPAR agonist, its beneficial effect in the fructose-induced hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperinsulinemia rat model is apparently not mediated by adiponectin elevation but rather by direct inhibi-