title: Nitroglycerine-induced biphasic relaxation in vascular smooth muscle of rat aorta.
abstract: Nitroglycerine induced biphasic relaxation in the rat aorta, previously contracted by noradrenaline; a rapid decrease in tension was followed by a gradual increase reaching a steady level below the control contractile tension. No initial transient relaxation was induced by nitroglycerine in high K-stimulated muscle. The initial transient relaxation, but not the sustained relaxation, was dependent on the concentration of external K; maximum relaxation was observed in the presence of 2.7 mM K solution and only a slight relaxation was observed in 0 mM or 10.8 mM K solution. The initial transient relaxation was also inhibited by ouabain or low Na solution. On an appropriate increase in the concentration of external K, noradrenaline-induced contraction was transiently relaxed. Previous application of nitroglycerine potentiated this K-induced relaxation. Pretreatment of the muscle with methylene blue, an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase, inhibited both the initial transient and the sustained relaxations induced by nitroglycerine, but not the K-induced transient relaxation. It is suggested that the nitroglycerine-induced initial transient relaxation, but not the sustained relaxation, may be due to a stimulation of an electrogenic Na pump. Both relaxation phases may be mediated by cyclic GMP.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D005996:Nitroglycerin