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  • Title: Losartan and enalapril therapies enhance vasodilatation in the mesenteric artery of spontaneously hypertensive rats.
    Author: Kähönen M, Tolvanen JP, Kalliovalkama J, Wu X, Karjala K, Mäkynen H, Pörsti I.
    Journal: Eur J Pharmacol; 1999 Mar 05; 368(2-3):213-22. PubMed ID: 10193657.
    Abstract:
    We studied the effects of 10-week long enalapril and losartan treatments (4 and 15 mg kg(-1) day(-1), respectively) on mesenteric arterial function in vitro in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). The relaxations of noradrenaline-precontracted rings to acetylcholine, nitroprusside and cromakalim were similar in WKY and enalapril- and losartan-treated SHR, and more pronounced than in untreated SHR. The responses to acetylcholine were attenuated by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in WKY and drug-treated SHR, but were completely inhibited in untreated SHR. When hyperpolarization of smooth muscle was prevented by KCl-induced precontractions, no differences were found in the relaxations to acetylcholine and nitroprusside between the groups, and the dilatations to cromakalim were abolished. Moreover, in noradrenaline-precontracted rings of drug-treated SHR, the addition of tetraethylammonium attenuated the nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-resistant relaxations to acetylcholine and abolished the enhanced dilatations to nitroprusside. In conclusion, since the enhancement of vasorelaxation in enalapril- and losartan-treated SHR was abolished by conditions preventing hyperpolarization, the improved vasodilatation following these therapies could be attributed to enhanced vasodilatation via K+ channels in this model of hypertension.
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