[Chiral separation by capillary electrochromatography on stationary phase adsorbed with protein]

A method based on the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the strong anion-exchange packing (SAX) was applied to prepare chiral stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography. It was found that the electroosmotic mobility only decreased 26.3% when the BSA was adsorbed. The run-to-run reproducibilities of void time and the migration times of D- and L-tryptophan enantiomers were rather good with the relative standard deviation (RSD) values of 0.90%, 0.87% and 0.96%, respectively, when mobile phase containing 7% (volume fraction) acetonitrile. The merit of this system is that the direction of electroosmotic flow is still from cathode to anode, preferable to separate acidic enantiomers. Four anionic enantiomers, tryptophan, ketoprofen, fenoprofen and warfarin, as well as the neutral enantiomers of benzoin were successfully resolved. In order to reduce the analysis time, n-hexanoic acid was added to the mobile phase as a competitive agent. The effect of acetonitrile volume fraction on the resolution of enantiomers was also investigated.

[Uncharged monolithic capillary column modified with an anionic surfactant in electrochromatography]

A monolithic capillary column was obtained by in-situ co-polymerization of butyl methacrylate with ethylene dimethacrylate. A mode of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) based on the dynamic adsorption of long chain sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) on the monolithic stationary phases was developed. Effects of SDS concentration and concentration of acetonitrile in mobile phase on the electroosmotic flow(EOF) of the column and the plate height on the electroosmotic velocity were investigated. Efficiency of monolithic capillary column with higher than 140,000 plates per meter for neutral aromatic compounds were obtained, and the relative standard deviations observed for dead time(t0) and retention times of neutral solutes were about 0.22% and less than 0.56% for ten consecutive runs, respectively.

Arterial compliance by cuff sphygmomanometer. Application to hypertension and early changes in subjects at genetic risk

Abnormalities of the arterial pulse waveform reflect changes in cardiovascular structure and function. These abnormalities may occur early in the course of essential hypertension, even before the onset of blood pressure elevation. Previous studies of cardiovascular structure and function have relied on invasive intra-arterial cannulation to obtain the arterial pulse wave. We evaluated arterial structure and function using a noninvasive cuff sphygmomanometer in hypertensive (n = 15) and normotensive (n = 36) subjects stratified by genetic risk (family history) for hypertension. Using a simple physical model in which the aorta was assumed to be a T tube and the brachial artery a straight tube, we determined vascular compliance and peripheral resistance by analyzing the brachial artery pulsation signal from a cuff sphygmomanometer. Essential hypertensive subjects tended to have higher peripheral resistance (P = .06) and significantly lower vascular compliance (P = .001) than normotensive subjects. Vascular compliance correlated with simultaneously determined pulse pressure in both groups (n = 51, r = .74, P < .0001). Higher peripheral resistance (P = .07) and lower vascular compliance (P = .04) were already found in still-normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents (ie, normotensive subjects with a positive family history of hypertension) than in normotensive subjects with a negative family history of hypertension. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that both genetic risk for hypertension (P = .030) and blood pressure status (P = .041), although not age (P = .207), were significant predictors of vascular compliance (multiple R = .47, P = .011). However, by two-way ANOVA, genetic risk for hypertension was an even more significant determinant (F = 7.84, P = .007) of compliance than blood pressure status (F = 2.69, P = .089). Antihypertensive therapy with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (10 days, n = 10) improved vascular compliance (P = .02) and reduced resistance (P = .003) significantly; treatment with calcium channel antagonists (4 weeks, n = 8) tended to improve vascular compliance (P = .07) and significantly reduced peripheral resistance (P = .006). We conclude that arterial vascular compliance abnormalities detected by a noninvasive cuff sphygmomanometer reflect treatment-reversible changes in vascular structure and function. Early changes in vascular compliance in still-normotensive individuals at genetic risk for hypertension may be a heritable pathogenetic feature of this disorder.

Divergent effects of dihydropyridine and phenylalkylamine calcium channel antagonist classes on autonomic function in human hypertension

Calcium channel antagonists differ by class in reported frequency of side effects that suggest reflex sympathoadrenal activation. Do such differences result from differential effects on autonomic and baroreflex function? The present study compared acute and chronic effects of two classes of calcium channel antagonists, the dihydropyridine type (felodipine) and the phenylalkylamine type (verapamil), on efferent sympathetic outflow and baroreflex slope in 15 essential hypertensive subjects. Blood pressure, heart rate, hemodynamics, and biochemistries were determined at baseline and after acute (first dose) and chronic (4 weeks) administration of the drugs versus placebo. Acutely, felodipine caused a greater decrease in blood pressure associated with a larger decline in systemic vascular resistance than the corresponding effects produced by verapamil. Chronically, there were similar, significant declines in blood pressure (P = .001) and systemic vascular resistance (P = .001) after each drug. Acutely, increased sympathetic activity after felodipine was suggested by reflex tachycardia (from 69 +/- 3 to 74 +/- 2 beats per minute, P = .014) and elevation of plasma norepinephrine (from 264 +/- 25 to 323 +/- 25 pg/mL, P = .037), whereas after verapamil the corresponding changes were closely similar to those after placebo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Does lipophilicity of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors selectively influence autonomic neural function in human hypertension?

INTRODUCTION

Angiotensin II has both central nervous system and peripheral effects on autonomic function. Ramipril is among the more lipophilic angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and hence can penetrate the central nervous system readily.

METHODS

We investigated whether rampiril has selective effects on autonomic control of the circulation in human hypertension, compared with the more hydrophilic ACE inhibitor enalapril. Blood pressure, hemodynamics and measurements of autonomic function were obtained in 13 essential hypertensive subjects after 10 days on placebo, and after crossover monotherapy with 10 days on enalapril versus 10 days on ramipril.

RESULTS

Both enalapril and ramipril lowered systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressures significantly, with no reflex increase in heart rate. Plasma renin activity increased substantially on each of the ACE inhibitors. There were no significant effects of either agent on plasma catecholamines (norepinephrine or epinephrine) or chromogranin A, biochemical indices of efferent sympatho-adrenal outflow. There were also no significant changes after either agent in baroreflex sensitivity (to high- and low-pressure stimuli), the response to cold stress or sympathetic (alpha-adrenergic) participation in blood pressure maintenance. There was a marginal effect of ACE inhibition on alpha 1-adrenergic pressor sensitivity, but the two compounds did not differ significantly in this respect.

CONCLUSION

Autonomic control of circulatory function was maintained well after either lipophilic (ramipril) or hydrophilic (enalapril) ACE inhibitors, and the lipophilic compound ramipril had no additional effects on autonomic function beyond those shown by the hydrophilic agent enalapril.