title: Prolonged regional vasoconstriction produced by NG-nitro-L-arginine in conscious sheep.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent endothelium-derived vasodilator whose synthesis can be blocked both in vitro and in vivo by structural analogues of its precursor, L-arginine (L-ARG). We examined the dose-response profile of one such analogue, NG-nitro-L-arginine (NOLA) in conscious sheep (n = 4) and used continuous monitoring techniques to study long-term changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and cardiac output (CO) and the relative responsiveness of the coronary, mesenteric, renal, and hindlimb vascular beds to NOLA [10 mg/kg, intravenous (i.v.) bolus] in 5 sheep. NOLA (3 and 10 mg/kg) increased MAP at 1 h from 73 +/- 4 to 86 +/- 3 mm Hg (p < 0.05) and 73 +/- 1 to 106 +/- 8 mm Hg (p < 0.05), respectively. CO and HR decreased significantly after 10 mg/kg NOLA. Plasma endothelin (ET) level was unchanged after all doses of NOLA. Continuous monitoring of MAP, CO, and blood flow for 24 h before and after NOLA injection showed that MAP increased rapidly owing to a decrease in total peripheral conductance (TPC), with short-term reflex decreases in HR and prolonged decreases in CO and stroke volume (SV). Coronary and iliac conductances changed comparatively little. Renal conductance decreased by 43% at 80 min, but was not different from control after 6 h. The greatest and most sustained decrease in conductance, by a maximum of 55% of control levels at 110 min, occurred in the mesenteric bed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tresham
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bednarik
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Dusting
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D019335:Nitroarginine; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D019335:Nitroarginine; D001120:Arginine