title: Effect of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine on regional vascular resistance in rats.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of intravenous injection of the specific inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) formation, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), on mean arterial pressure and regional vascular resistance in rats (n = 7). Regional vascular resistances of brain, heart, left kidney, intestine (jejunum), left testis and right testis were measured using radiolabelled microspheres before and after injection of 12.5 mg/kg of L-NMMA. Injection of L-NMMA raised mean arterial pressure significantly (p < 0.05) from 119 +/- 4 (mean +/- SEM) mmHg to 139 +/- 7 mmHg, accompanied by a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in both heart rate and cardiac index and an increase in total peripheral resistance. Regional vascular resistances in brain, heart, kidney and intestine increased significantly (p < 0.05) with L-NMMA, but no change was observed in the testes. The results indicate that the resistance of vascular beds is affected by NO synthesis, while the extent of regulation may differ among the various vascular beds.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Prewitt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine