Effects of chloroquine on smooth muscle contracted with noradrenaline or high-potassium solutions in the rat thoracic aorta.
The effects of chloroquine on the smooth muscle of isolated rat aortic segments were investigated in preparations contracted with either noradrenaline or high-potassium. At rest, chloroquine (up to 10(-4) M) produced no mechanical response, while noradrenaline (10(-6) M) produced a sustained contraction. In the presence of 10(-4) M chloroquine, however, the amplitude of contractions produced by noradrenaline was attenuated by about 70%, with no alteration of the resting tension. In preparations contracted either with noradrenaline or with high-K solutions, chloroquine produced a concentration-dependent relaxation. The tension decreased below resting level as a result of the co-application of these stimulants. The relaxing actions of chloroquine were not altered by methylene blue (an inhibitor of guanylate cyclase), suggesting that the cyclic GMP-related mechanism was not involved. The ratio of the amplitude of chloroquine-induced relaxation was similar in contractions produced by different concentrations of potassium ions, suggesting that chloroquine did not cause relaxation as a result of membrane hyperpolarization. These results suggest that the inhibition of aortic smooth muscle contraction caused by chloroquine is different to that produced by endothelium-derived vasodilating factors. It is possible that the inhibition of aortic smooth muscle contraction by chloroquine involves modulation of the contractile systems and of their regulatory proteins.
Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. PeterAziba@yahoo.com
Peter I
PI
Aziba
D T
DT
Okpako
D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000187:drug effects; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
D000962:Antimalarials; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D002738:Chloroquine; D011188:Potassium; D009638:Norepinephrine