title: The effect of atropine or atropine methylnitrate on salt-induced hypertension in the inbred S/JR and R/JR Dahl rat.
abstract: The cholinergic antagonists atropine (ATR) and atropine methylnitrate (ATRMN) were chronically administered to inbred Dahl hypertension-sensitive (S/JR) and -resistant (R/JR) rats maintained on an 8.0% NaCl-containing diet. The effects on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and mortality were then examined during and after a four week period of treatment. Administration of ATR (7.2 mg/day) or ATRMN (2.4 mg/day) attenuated the development of salt-induced hypertension (HT) in the S/JR strain but had relatively little effect on BP in the R/JR strain. HR during the treatment period was significantly greater in S/JR and R/JR rats that received ATR or ATRMN than vehicle-treated controls. Each drug also reduced HT-related mortality in S/JR rats. In general, the effects of ATR on BP and mortality were greater than those of ATRMN. However, the results suggest that the central and peripheral cholinergic systems participate in the development of salt-induced HT in the S/JR rat.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001286:Atropine Derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001286:Atropine Derivatives; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D001285:Atropine; C006649:methylatropine