Effects of diltiazem on phasic and tonic activity in rat portal vein

Differences between full and partial alpha-adrenoceptor agonists in eliciting phasic and tonic types of responses in the longitudinal smooth muscle of the rat portal vein

The aim of the present investigation was to study, taking into account both quantitative and qualitative differences, the influence of full and partial alpha-adrenoceptor agonists on spontaneous myogenic activity in the rat portal vein. We found that the alpha-adrenoceptor agonists cirazoline, adrenaline, noradrenaline, phenylephrine, St 587, Sgd 101/75, B-HT 920 and UK-14,304 could increase the amplitude of the phasic myogenic contractions in the rat portal vein with apparent differences in EC50 and Emax values. In addition to an increase in phasic myogenic activity, the alpha-adrenoceptor agonists cirazoline, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and phenylephrine were also able (in higher concentrations) to increase the basal tone of the rat portal vein preparation, again with apparent differences in EC50 and Emax values. Changing the extracellular Ca2+ concentration from 0.9 mmol/l to 2.5 mmol/l had no influence on the phasic character and the concentration range in which St 587 and UK-14,304 increased spontaneous myogenic activity, although changes in amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous myogenic contractions were less pronounced at a higher extracellular Ca2+ concentration (2.5 mmol/l). By the use of Schild analysis with the competitive alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists prazosin (pA2 = 8.74) and 5-methyl-urapidil (pA2 = 8.37), it was established that the contractile responses to St 587 were mediated by the same alpha 1-adrenoceptor subtype as the phasic and tonic type of contraction elicited by phenylephrine as described in a previous study. The concentration-response curve of UK-14,304 was significantly shifted to the right by low concentrations of prazosin (3 nmol/l-30 nmol/l), indicating stimulation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors by UK-14,304 in the rat portal vein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The effects of PAF-acether on the cardiovascular system and their inhibition by a new highly specific PAF-acether receptor antagonist BN 52021

BN 52021, a new specific PAF-acether receptor antagonist, was evaluated on several cardiovascular models. BN 52021 antagonized PAF-acether-induced extravasation in rats. Inhibition of the hypotensive action of PAF-acether was obtained by administration of the antagonist, given preventively or curatively. In isolated guinea-pig hearts, BN 52021 inhibited the vasoconstriction induced by PAF-acether whereas a small inhibition was observed with papaverine. On the other hand, phosphodiesterase inhibitors were very effective against coronary vasoconstriction induced by vasopressin while BN 52021 was without effect. PAF-acether increased the tonus of rat isolated portal vein; this effect was inhibited by BN 52021, without any reduction in basal myogenic activity. In this model Ca2+ antagonists (D 600, diltiazem) showed a small inhibitory effect but they strongly reduced basal myogenic activity. Neither PAF-acether nor BN 52021 modified phenylephrine-induced contraction of the isolated rabbit aorta with or without endothelium demonstrating that endothelium-dependent relaxing factor is not related to PAF-acether. Our results suggest that BN 52021 specifically block the cardiovascular effects of PAF-acether. This agent may thus be an useful tool for a better understanding of the role of PAF-acether in hemodynamic changes involved in anaphylaxis or shock.

Preferential antagonism by diltiazem of alpha 2-adrenoceptor mediated vasoconstrictor responses in perfused tail arteries of spontaneous hypertensive rats

Vasoconstrictor responses mediated by the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist TL99, were particularly sensitive to blockade by the calcium antagonist drug diltiazem in isolated perfused tail arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In contrast, the vasoconstrictor responses induced by the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist methoxamine were significantly more resistant to antagonism by diltiazem. At higher concentrations (greater than 300 nmol/l) diltiazem became an effective antagonist of all alpha-adrenoceptor mediated responses. In normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) or Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats diltiazem was significantly less potent against vasoconstrictor responses to TL99 than in SHR. The blockade of alpha 1-adrenoceptor mediated vasoconstriction by diltiazem was not significantly different when normotensive rats and SHR were compared. The vasoconstrictor responses evoked by 5HT in the perfused tail arteries were particularly resistant to blockade by diltiazem in SHR arteries. The responses to endogenously released noradrenaline, evoked by electrical field stimulation, were significantly antagonised by diltiazem (30 nmol/1-3 mumol/l) in SHR-tail arteries, while they were not modified in WKY-tail arteries. At the concentrations of diltiazem which blocked end organ responses to field stimulation, there was no modification of total tritium overflow from SHR-tail arteries after labelling the tissue with 3H-noradrenaline, indicating that diltiazem does not inhibit transmitter release at these concentrations. The tail artery preparation of SHR contains a population of postsynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors which mediate contraction in this blood vessel and the calcium entry blocker diltiazem is a potent antagonist of vasoconstrictor responses mediated by vascular alpha 2-adrenoceptors in hypertensive rats. These findings may be relevant to the antihypertensive action of diltiazem.