Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors cause sustained, but reversible, hypertension and hindquarters vasoconstriction in Brattleboro rats.
Homozygous male Brattleboro rats were given a solution of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 1 mg ml-1) to drink for a period of 7 days. There was a persistent elevation of mean arterial blood pressure, accompanied by a significant hindquarters vasoconstriction. Within 9 h of withdrawal of L-NMMA all variables were not different from pre-L-NMMA values. Brattleboro rats (n = 3) which had been drinking NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) solution (0.05 mg ml-1) for 5-6 months showed an increased blood pressure which reversed to normal within 48 h after withdrawing the L-NAME. Thus, inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis leads to long-lasting, but reversible, hypertension.
Gardiner
S M
SM
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, U.K.
Kemp
P A
PA
Bennett
T
T
Palmer
R M
RM
Moncada
S
S
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D011910:Rats, Brattleboro; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester