title: Intestinal motor depression by 7-nitroindazole through an action unrelated to nitric oxide synthase inhibition.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is a cotransmitter of inhibitory motor neurons of the enteric nervous system. This study examined the effect of 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), an inhibitor of neuronal NO synthase (NOS), on intestinal peristalsis and muscle activity and compared 7-NI with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nonselective inhibitor of NOS isoforms. Peristalsis in isolated segments of the guinea pig small intestine was triggered by a perfusion-induced rise of the intraluminal pressure. While L-NAME (10-300 micromol/l) lowered the peristaltic pressure threshold (PPT) at which propulsive muscle contractions were elicited, 7-NI (10-300 micromol/l) caused a concentration-related increase in PPT. L-Arginine (1-3 mmol/l) failed to reverse peristaltic motor depression evoked by 7-NI but annulled the L-NAME-evoked stimulation of peristalsis. Drugs which stimulated peristalsis, such as L-NAME, naloxone, apamin and suramin plus pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2'-4'-disulphonic acid counteracted the inhibitory effect of submaximally effective concentrations of 7-NI on peristalsis. 7-NI (100-300 micromol/l) inhibited circular muscle contractions evoked by cholecystokinin octapeptide, the NK(1) receptor agonist GR-73,632 and indomethacin whereas L-NAME (100-300 micromol/l) failed to inhibit any drug-evoked contraction. These data show that 7-NI, unlike L-NAME, inhibits circular muscle contractions of the gut and depresses intestinal peristalsis. It is concluded that the inhibitory motor action of 7-NI is unrelated to inhibition of neuronal NOS and arises from depression of smooth muscle activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology; D010528:Peristalsis / Q000187:drug effects; D012844:Sincalide / Q000494:pharmacology; D013373:Substance P / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007093:Imidazoles; D007191:Indazoles; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C068032:GR 73632; C098186:1-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)imidazole; D013373:Substance P; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D012844:Sincalide; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D007213:Indomethacin