title: Deuterium oxide normalizes blood pressure and elevated cytosolic calcium in rats with ethanol-induced hypertension.
abstract: This study examined the effect of 10% deuterium oxide (D2O) in drinking water on systolic blood pressure, platelet cytosolic free calcium, aortic calcium uptake and renal vascular changes in rats with ethanol-induced hypertension. Eighteen male Wistar-Kyoto rats, age seven weeks, were divided into three groups of six animals each. Group I was given water and groups II and III, 5% ethanol in drinking water for the next seven weeks. After one week, systolic blood pressure in the ethanol-treated rats was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than in rats drinking water. After seven weeks, animals in group I were continued on water, group II on 5% ethanol, group III on 5% ethanol but with the addition of 10% D2O in their drinking water for the next seven weeks. After 14 weeks, systolic blood pressure, platelet cytosolic free calcium and aortic calcium uptake was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in group II rats (given ethanol for 14 weeks) compared with rats from other groups. Ethanol-treated rats also showed smooth muscle hyperplasia with some thickening of the wall and narrowing of the lumen in small arteries and arterioles of the kidney. D2O given to ethanol-treated rats normalized their blood pressure, platelet cytosolic free calcium, aortic calcium uptake and attenuated renal vascular changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, General Hospital, St John's, Newfoundland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasdev
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Longerich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000187:drug effects*; D017666:Deuterium Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D000431:Ethanol; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D013599:Systole
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D017666:Deuterium Oxide; D002118:Calcium