title: Cardiovascular and renal effects of nociceptin/orphanin FQ: a new mediator to target?
abstract: Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is the endogenous ligand for the N/OFQ peptide receptor. N/OFQ acts directly on blood vessels as a relaxant, and is unlikely to cross the blood-brain barrier due to its size. In anesthetized rats and conscious animals, intravenous N/OFQ produces transient hypotension and bradycardia that may involve interactions with the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Injected intracerebro-ventricularly or directly into brain tissue, N/OFQ also affects the cardiovascular system. For example, N/OFQ causes water diuresis (aquaresis), which may represent the most immediate potential of targeting N/OFQ in the cardiovascular/ renal systems. Aquaretics are useful in the treatment of edema/hyponatremia which ultimately occurs in end-stage heart failure, liver cirrhosis and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.
authors.affiliation: Doggrell Biomedical Communications, 14 Quandong Cresent, Nightcliff, NT 0810, Australia. sheila.doggrell@bigpond.com
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Doggrell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D004232:Diuretics / Q000378:metabolism; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism*; D012079:Renal Circulation; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin; C000722283:OPRL1 protein, human