Effects of 3-n-butylphthalide on production of vasoactive substances by cerebral and aortic endothelial cells.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of dl-3-n-butylphthalide (dl-NBP), l-3-n-butylphthalide (l-NBP), and d-3-n-butylphthalide (d-NBP) on the production of nitric oxide (NO), epoprostenol (Epo) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were investigated in cerebrovascular and aortic endothelium in culture.


METHODS
Bovine cerebral endothelial cells (BCEC) and bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) were cultured in Medium 199 in vitro. After incubation with dl-, l-, and d-NBP for 24 h, the release of NO, Epo, and ET-1 were analyzed by using spectrometry assay and radioimmunoassay (RIA) respectively.


RESULTS
Low concentrations of dl- and l-NBP (0.1-10 mumol.L-1) enhanced nitrite and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-ketoPGF1 alpha) production in both BAEC and BCEC after a 24-h incubation, and l-NBP has a potent effect on promoting Epo production in BCEC. The production of ET-1 secreted by BCEC and BAEC was increased after TNF alpha stimulation, this enhancement was not blunted by the simultaneous addition of dl-, l-, and d-NBP.


CONCLUSIONS
1) dl-NBP and l-NBP increase NO production in both BCEC and BAEC. 2) l-NBP increases more Epo production in BCEC than that in BAEC, and dl-NBP has selective effect on increasing Epo production in BCEC.
Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
H L
HL
Xu
Y P
YP
Feng
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001011:Aorta / Q000166:cytology; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D001572:Benzofurans; D019332:Endothelin-1; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha; C027125:3-n-butylphthalide; D011464:Epoprostenol