Influence of endogenous opiates on the hypotensive action of taurine in DOCA-salt rats.
We studied the role of endogenous opiate activation in the hypotensive action of taurine, a sulphur amino acid, in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Previous work had shown that supplementation with 1% taurine reduced blood pressure when given after DOCA-salt hypertension had been established. In the present study, in conscious rats, intraperitoneal injection of naloxone, an opiate antagonist, increased blood pressure in taurine-supplemented DOCA-salt rats, but not in DOCA-salt rats or vehicle-treated control rats. These results suggest that activation of an endogenous opiate might contribute to the hypotensive action of taurine in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats.
Sato
Y
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Fujita
T
T
D000818:Animals; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004723:Endorphins / Q000502:physiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004723:Endorphins; D013654:Taurine; D009270:Naloxone; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone