title: The role of nitric oxide in the baroreceptor-cardiac reflex in conscious Wistar rats.
abstract: The role of nitric oxide (NO) in baroreceptor-cardiac reflex function was examined using a NO synthase inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), in conscious Wistar rats. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart period (HP) relationships were obtained by intravenous injection of graded doses of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The baroreflex function was compared before and after L-NAME (10 mg/kg iv), L-NAME (10 mg/kg iv) followed by exogenous NO supplied as SNP (10-20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv), or SNP alone (20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv). To find the effect of changing basal MAP on baroreflex function, the baroreflex function was also examined before and after phenylephrine (8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv) or L-NAME followed by concomitant infusion of SNP and phenylephrine. L-NAME increased basal MAP as well as HP from 104 +/- 1 to 141 +/- 2 mmHg and from 168 +/- 3 to 237 +/- 7 ms, respectively. L-NAME shifted the sigmoid curve in the direction of higher MAP with a significant increase in the gain (gain: control 2.14 +/- 0.15 ms/mmHg, L-NAME 3.70 +/- 0.26 ms/mmHg, P < 0.001). L-NAME together with SNP infusion did not significantly affect the gain, basal MAP, or HP. Infusion of SNP alone shifted the sigmoid curve in the direction of lower MAP but had no significant effect on the gain. An infusion of phenylephrine or L-NAME with concomitant infusion of SNP and phenylephrine increased basal MAP similarly as L-NAME alone did but had no significant effect on the gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University School of Medicine Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D009599:Nitroprusside; D010656:Phenylephrine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester