Effects of rosuvastatin correlated with the down-regulation of CYP4A1 in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Vasoprotective Endothelial Effects of Chronic Cannabidiol Treatment and Its Influence on the Endocannabinoid System in Rats with Primary and Secondary Hypertension

Our study aimed to examine the endothelium (vascular)-protecting effects of chronic cannabidiol (CBD) administration (10 mg/kg once daily for 2 weeks) in aortas and small mesenteric (G3) arteries isolated from deoxycorticosterone-induced hypertensive (DOCA-salt) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). CBD reduced hypertrophy and improved the endothelium-dependent vasodilation in response to acetylcholine in the aortas and G3 of DOCA-salt rats and SHR. The enhancement of vasorelaxation was prevented by the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) with L-NAME and/or the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) with indomethacin in the aortas and G3 of DOCA-salt and SHR, respectively. The mechanism of the CBD-mediated improvement of endothelial function in hypertensive vessels depends on the vessel diameter and may be associated with its NO-, the intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channel- or NO-, COX-, the intermediate and the small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels-dependent effect in aortas and G3, respectively. CBD increased the vascular expression of the cannabinoid CB₁ and CB₂ receptors and aortic levels of endocannabinoids with vasorelaxant properties e.g., anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol and palmitoyl ethanolamide in aortas of DOCA-salt and/or SHR. In conclusion, CBD treatment has vasoprotective effects in hypertensive rats, in a vessel-size- and hypertension-model-independent manner, at least partly via inducing local vascular changes in the endocannabinoid system.

Rosuvastatin Reverses Hypertension-Induced Changes in the Aorta Structure and Endothelium-Dependent Relaxation in Rats Through Suppression of Apoptosis and Inflammation

Vascular remodeling is one of the most critical complications caused by hypertension. Previous studies have demonstrated that rosuvastatin has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiplatelet effects and therefore can be used to treat cardiovascular disease. In this study, we explored the beneficial effects of rosuvastatin in reversing aortic remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats. After treating with different doses of rosuvastatin, its antilipid, antiapoptosis, and anti-inflammatory effects were determined. We also examined whether rosuvastatin can improve the structure and function of the aorta. We found that rosuvastatin treatment of spontaneously hypertensive rats for 2 months at 2 different doses can effectively reduce the media thickness of the aorta compared with the control group. Similarly, rosuvastatin improved the vascular relaxation function of the aortic rings at a high level of acetylcholine in vitro. Mechanistically, it was found that rosuvastatin increased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and plasma nitrite/nitrate levels. Besides, rosuvastatin suppressed the apoptosis and inflammation and upregulated the expression of gap-junction complex connexin 43 both in media and endothelium. Finally, rosuvastatin inhibited the AT₁R/PKCα/HSP70 signaling transduction pathway. In summary, these findings demonstrated that rosuvastatin could improve the vascular structure and function mainly by increasing endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression and preventing apoptosis and inflammation. This study provided evidence that rosuvastatin has beneficial effects in reversing the remodeling of the aorta due to hypertension.