Nicardipine decreases blood pressure and heart rate at nucleus tractus solitarii of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Exposure to a moderate intensity static magnetic field enhances the hypotensive effect of a calcium channel blocker in spontaneously hypertensive rats

We investigated the combined effects of a moderate intensity static magnetic field (SMF) and an L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channel blocker, nicardipine in stroke-resistant spontaneously hypertensive rats during the development of hypertension. Five-week-old male rats were exposed to SMF intensity up to 180 mT (B(max)) with a peak spatial gradient of 133 mT/mm for 14 weeks. Four experimental groups of 14 animals each were examined: (1) sham exposure with intraperitoneal (ip) saline injection (control); (2) SMF exposure with ip saline injection (SMF); (3) sham exposure with ip nicardipine injection (NIC); (4) SMF exposure with ip nicardipine injection (SMF + NIC). A disc-shaped permanent magnet or a dummy magnet was implanted in the vicinity adjacent to the left carotid sinus baroreceptor region in the neck of each rat. Nicardipine (2 mg/kg ip) was administered three times a week for 14 weeks, and then 15 min after each injection, arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), skin blood flow (SBF), skin blood velocity (SBV), plasma nitric oxide (NO) metabolites (NO(x) = NO(2) (-) + NO(3) (-)), plasma catecholamine levels and behavioral parameters of a functional observational battery were monitored. The action of nicardipine significantly decreased BP, and increased HR, SBF, SBV, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine in the NIC group compared with the control respective age-matched group without changing plasma NO(x) levels. Neck exposure to SMF alone for 5-8 weeks significantly suppressed or retarded the development of hypertension together with increased BRS in SMF group. Furthermore, the exposure to SMF for 1-8 weeks significantly promoted the nicardipine-induced BP decrease in the SMF + NIC group compared with the respective NIC group. Moreover, the SMF induced a significant increase in plasma NO(x) in the nicardipine-induced hypotension. There were no significant differences in any of the physiological or behavioral parameters measured between the SMF + NIC and the NIC groups, nor between the SMF and the control groups. These results suggest that the SMF may enhance nicardipine-induced hypotension by more effectively antagonizing the Ca(2+) influx through the Ca(2+) channels compared with the NIC treatment alone. Furthermore, the enhanced antihypertensive effects of the SMF on the nicardipine-treated group appear to be partially related to the increased NO(x). Theoretical considerations suggest that the applied SMF (B(max) 40 mT, 0 Hz) can be converted into a changing magnetic field (B(max) 30-40 mT, 5.7-6.5 Hz or 7.5-8.3 Hz) in the baroreceptor region by means of the carotid artery pulsation. Therefore, we propose that the moderate intensity changing magnetic field, i.e., the magnetic field modulated by the pulse rate, may influence the activity of baroreceptor and baroreflex function.

Central cardiovascular effects of dihydropyridines in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of dihydropyridine derivatives calcium channel agonist (BAY K8644) and antagonist (nifedipine, nicardipine, PN 200-110) induced opposite long-lasting changes in blood pressure (BP) in pentobarbital anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SMR). I.c.v. nifedipine (NIF), nicardipine (NIC), and PN 200-110 decreased mean blood pressure dose-dependently and stereoselectively, (+) NIC and (+) PN being 8 and 3 times more potent than their (-) isomers, respectively. The decrease in BP was due to a withdrawal of the sympathetic tone, since NIF- and NIC-induced falls in BP were suppressed after either hexamethonium (HXM), 6 OHDA or bilateral adrenalectomy. I.c.v. BAY K8644 increased BP dose-dependently. The i.c.v. BAY K8644-induced hypertensive effect was inhibited: a), by NIF and (+) PN but not by (-) PN, therefore probably occurring at central DHP sites; b), by HXM and reserpine, thus probably mediated by an increase in sympathetic tone; c) by i.c.v. methylatropine (MA) while i.v. MA and i.c.v. HXM had no inhibitory effect, thus probably involving central muscarinic sites. In SHR, NIC did not after the K(+)-evoked ACh release but suppressed the BAY K8644-induced increase in ACh release. In anesthetized normotensive control rats (WKY), neither i.c.v. NIF, NIC or BAY increased BP and HR while, in conscious SHR it decreased BP without any change in HR. These data increased BP and HR while, in conscious SHR it decreased BP without any change in HR. These data suggest that central DHP sites may be involved in the cholinergic transmission and may participate in genetic hypertension via sympathetic tone.