title: Effects of L-arginine oral supplements in pregnant spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of L-arginine oral supplementation in spontaneously hypertensive pregnant rats (SHR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty SHR and ten Wistar-EPM-1 virgin female rats were used in the study. Before randomization, females were caged with males of the same strain (3:1). Pregnancy was confirmed by sperm-positive vaginal smear (Day 0). Wistar-EPM-1 rats served as counterpart control (C-1). SHR rats were randomized in 4 groups (n=10): Group Control 2, non-treated rats; Group L-Arginine treated with L-arginine 2%; Group Alpha-methyldopa treated with Alpha-methyldopa 33 mg/Kg; Group L-Arginine+Alpha-methyldopa treated with L-arginine 2%+Alpha-methyldopa 33 mg/Kg. L-arginine 2% solution was offered ad libitum in drinking water and Alpha-methyldopa was administered by gavage twice a day during the length of pregnancy (20 days). Blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff plethysmography on days 0 and 20. Body weight was measured on days 0, 10 and 20. Results were expressed as mean +/-SD (Standard Deviation). One-Way ANOVA/Tukey (or Kruskal-Wallis/Dunn, as appropriate) was used for group comparisons. Statistical significance was accepted as p<0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant weight gain in isolated L-arginine treated SHR. Mean blood pressure decreased in L-arginine-treated SLR compared with untreated-SHR rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-arginine oral supplementation reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Central Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Obstetrics, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. ayresdemoura@hotmail.com
authors.forename: José Ricardo Sousa Ayres de
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sass
authors.forename: Sérgio Botelho
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto Leitão de
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.forename: Rosiane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattar
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kulay
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004326:Drinking; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008750:Methyldopa; D001120:Arginine