Effects of L-arginine oral supplements in pregnant spontaneously hypertensive rats.
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.
Moura
José Ricardo Sousa Ayres de
JR
Central Research Laboratory, Post-graduation Program in Obstetrics, Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. ayresdemoura@hotmail.com
Sass
Nelson
N
Guimarães
Sérgio Botelho
SB
Vasconcelos
Paulo Roberto Leitão de
PR
Mattar
Rosiane
R
Kulay
Luis
L
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
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008750:Methyldopa; D001120:Arginine