Gairard A, Lopez-Miranda V, Pernot F, Beck JF, Coumaros G, Van Overloop B, La Roche B, Koehl C, Christen MO. Effect of I1 Imidazoline Receptor Agonist, Moxonidine, in Nitric Oxide-Deficient Hypertension in Pregnant Rats.
J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 2004;
43:731-6. [PMID:
15071362 DOI:
10.1097/00005344-200405000-00017]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Decreased nitric oxide production has been reported in preeclampsia, which is also frequently associated with glucose intolerance. It was thus considered of interest to investigate the effects of moxonidine, a centrally acting antihypertensive drug that reduces insulin resistance, in a rat model of preeclampsia. Hypertension was induced in Wistar rats by dietary l-NNA (N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine, 0.063%, 31 mg/kg/d, days 13-19 of gestation) and, over the same period, moxonidine or vehicle was administered orally (2 mg/kg/d by gavage). On day 20, blood pressure was measured in the pentobarbital anesthetized animals, glucose tolerance was tested (2 g/kg glucose i.p.), and morphologic studies were conducted on the litter to determine the benefits with respect to fetal outcome. Hypertension was reduced with daily moxonidine treatment (P < 0.05). Basal plasma insulin and insulin/glucose index were decreased with moxonidine treatment evidencing improved insulin sensitivity in the control and l-NNA-treated pregnant rats (P < 0.05). After glucose challenge, plasma insulin increased in all the groups as expected and plasma insulin and insulin/glucose index were significantly higher in the l-NNA group than in the control, moxonidine, or l-NNA + moxonidine groups (P < 0.05 for time 60 minutes). Thus, moxonidine improved glucose tolerance in l-NNA-treated pregnant rats. Moreover, moxonidine treatment very effectively decreased the number of necroses (1 necrosis in 71 fetuses in the l-NNA + moxonidine group versus 15 necroses in 79 fetuses in the l-NNA group, P < 0.01). In conclusion, the 7-day treatment with moxonidine suppressed hypertension and reduced glucose intolerance and fetal necrosis, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of moxonidine in the preeclamptic model.
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