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Background: The subject of the study was determination of the effect of drugs on ileal smooth muscle contraction induced by activation of M1 type muscarinic receptors. Drugs that have an effect on muscarinic receptors are divided to agonists, with close ties to the receptor and high internal activity and antagonists, with no internal activity. Conducted experiments tested interactions between a broad-spectrum agonist of muscarinic receptors, carbachol and a selective muscarinic receptor antagonist of M1 type, pirenzepine. Material/Methods: Testing was conducted on tissues isolated from rat's intestine. Male Wistar rats with weight between 220 g and 360 g were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane (120 mg/kg). Concentration-effect curves were determined with the use of cumulated concentration method, in accordance with the van Rossum method (1963) in Kenakin modification (2006). Results: The purpose of the study was determination of concentration-effect curves for carbachol. This curve was compared with the curve of receptor occupation depending on concentration of this drug. Based on concentration-effect curves, the average value of EC50 was calculated for carbachol, amounting to 2.44×10-6 [M/l]. Conclusions: The results confirmed that atropine is effective in stopping contractions caused by carbachol, meeting the conditions of competitive antagonists. Atropine caused the shift of curves for carbachol to the right. Pirenzepine, selectively blocking muscarinic receptors of M1 type gave similar results. It was proved that in the preparation of gastric fundus smooth muscle, M1 type receptors occur not only presynaptically, but also postsynaptically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The subject of this study is determination of the influence of calmodulin and calcium on gastric fundus smooth muscle contraction. During experiments, the author tested the influence of a serotonin receptor agonist, serotonin (5-HT), causing smooth muscle contraction. Material/Methods: Testing was conducted on tissues isolated from rat's stomach. Male Wistar rats with weight between 220 g and 360 g were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane (120 mg/kg). The stomach was dissected, and later the gastric fundus was isolated. Tissue was placed in a dish for insulated organs with 20 ml in capacity, filled with Krebs fluid. Results contained in the study are average values ± SE. In order to determine statistical significance, the principles of receptor theory were used (Kenakin modification). Results: According to conducted tests, we can deduce that 8 Br cGMP stops the reaction of gastric fundus smooth muscle contraction induced by serotonin. The use of 8Br-cGMP in the range of concentrations between 10 and 300 μM leads to reduction of maximum effect from 100% to 46%. Similar changes were obtained after the use of guanylate cyclase activator (CG) - YC-1. Curves for the contractile activity of serotonin along with an increase of concentration YC-1 are shifted to the right, and the maximum effect of reaction decreases. Increasing concentrations of flunarizine, a calmodulin antagonist, in a concentration-dependent way blocks binding between calcium and calmodulin, and at the same time leads to the shift of concentration-effect curves for serotonin to the right and a decrease of maximum reaction. Increasing concentrations of ODQ, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor lead to statistically significant shift of the curves to the left, decrease of EC50 value and simultaneous increase of maximum reaction to serotonin. Conclusions: According to conducted testing, serotonin causes gastric fundus smooth muscle contraction dependent on concentration. Reaction of contraction induced by serotonin is stopped by a calmodulin antagonist, flunarizine. In addition, experiments confirmed participation of cyclical nucleotides in blocking reaction of gastric fundus contraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of the study compare the influences of YC-1 guanylyl cyclase activator with ODQ guanylyl cyclase inhibitor on the tracheal smooth muscle contraction induced by carbachol. The study specified the influence of increasing concentrations of soluble guanylyl cyclase activators YC-1 and 8Br cGMP on the reaction of tracheal smooth muscle contraction released by carbachol. The author also examined the effect of increasing concentrations of soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ on the concentration-effect curves for carbachol. Material/Methods: Testing was conducted on an isolated trachea of both sexes of Wistar rats with weight ranging between 350 g and 450 g. Tracheas were prepared in accordance with the Akcasu (1959) method in Szadujkis-Szadurski (1996) modification. Concentration-effect curves were determined with the use of cumulated concentration method, in accordance with the van Rossum method (1963) in Kenakin (2006) modification. Results: According to conducted testing, activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase with the use of YC-1 and 8Br cGMP caused reduced reaction of the tracheal smooth muscle with carbachol on average to 80%. Comparing concentration-effect curves for carbachol before and after the use of 8Br cGMP, similar results were obtained for those released by YC-1. On the other hand, increasing concentrations of guanylyl cyclase inhibitor - ODQ cause shift of curves to the left, decrease of EC50 value and an increase of maximum reaction to carbachol. Conclusions: Carbachol, depending on concentration, causes tracheal smooth muscle contraction. According to testing, we can confirm that activation of guanylyl cyclase leads to reduction of the reaction of tracheal smooth muscle to carbachol on average up to 80%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The subject of this study is determination of the influence of drugs on gastric fundus smooth muscle contraction induced by activation of muscarinic receptors M1. Experiments tested interactions between a receptor agonist, carbachol and muscarinic receptor antagonists, atropine and pirenzepine. Material/Methods: Testing was conducted on tissues isolated from rat's stomach. Male Wistar rats with weight between 220 g and 360 g were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of urethane (120 mg/kg). The stomach was dissected, and later the gastric fundus was isolated. Tissue was placed in a dish for insulated organs with 20 ml in capacity, filled with Krebs fluid. Results contained in the study are average values ± SE. In order to determine statistical significance, the principles of receptor theory were used (Kenakin modification). Results: According to tests, carbachol, in concentrations ranging between 10-8 M to 10-4 M, in a dosage-dependent way induces gastric fundus smooth muscle contraction. Presented results indicate that carbachol meets the conditions posed to full agonists. On the other hand, atropine, a non-selective muscarinic receptor antagonist, causes a concentration-dependent shift of concentration-effect curve (for carbachol) to the right, maintaining maximum reaction. According to analysis of the curve determined, we can deduce that atropine meets the conditions posed to competitive antagonists. The use of pirenzepine, a competitive receptor agonist M1, causes shift of concentration- effect curve (for carbachol) to the right, maintaining maximum reaction. Conclusions: From the testing conducted on the preparation of the gastric fundus we can deduce that atropine causes shift of concentration-effect curves for carbachol to the right. A similar effect is released by pirenzepine, selectively blocking muscarinic receptors of M1 type. The results indicate that in the preparation of the gastric fundus smooth muscle, M1 type receptors occur also postsynaptically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitogenic and vasoconstrictive properties of the vascular system are attributed to endothelin-1 (ET-1). ET-1 serum concentration increases in a number of pathological conditions, particularly in those associated with blood vessel constriction. ET-1 is also associated with the underlying pathomechanisms of primary pulmonary hypertension, arterial hypertension and eclampsia. The aim of this study was to compare the vasodilating properties of selected phosphodi-esterase (PDE) inhibitors and celecoxib in human mesenteric arteries constricted with ET-1, and investigate the role of the endothelium in relaxation. Perfused human mesenteric arteries were collected and stored under the same conditions as organs for transplantation. The mesenteric arteries (with and without the endothelium) were constricted by the addition of ET-1 and treated with one of the following: sildenafil (PDE5 inhibitor), zaprinast (PDE5 and 6 inhibitor), rolipram (PDE4 inhibitor) and celecoxib [cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor]. Based on the observed changes of the perfusion pressure, concentration response curves (CRCs) were prepared for the respective inhibitors and the EC50 (concentration causing an effect equal to half of the maximum effect), pD2 (negative common logarithm of EC50) and relative potency (RP) were calculated. The results suggested that all the inhibitors triggered a concentration-dependent decrease in the perfusion pressure in isolated human superior mesenteric arteries with endothelium constricted by the addition of ET-1. In the arteries without endothelium, CRCs for celecoxib and rolipram were shifted to the right without a significant decrease in the maximum dilating effect. Moreover, CRCs for sildenafil and zaprinast were shifted to the right with a simultaneous significant decrease in the maximum dilating effect and with an increased inclination angle in reference to the concentration axis. In the presence of the endothelium, all of the evaluated PDE inhibitors, as well as celecoxib, reduced the reactivity of the mesenteric arteries caused by ET-1. Sildenafil indicated the lowest efficacy in the presence of the endothelium, but showed a higher potency compared to that of the other compounds. Removing the endothelium significantly reduced the vasodilating efficacy of PDE5 and 6 inhibitors and a statistically significant influence on the vasodilating efficacy of PDE4 inhibitor and celecoxib was observed. The high vasorelaxing efficacy of celecoxib at the background of the PDE inhibitors was observed, not only in the presence, but also in the absence of the endothelium and may be evidence for the relaxation induced by this COX-2 inhibitor in the cAMP- and cGMP-dependent pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rho-kinase and GTP-ase Rho are important regulators of vascular tone and blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Rho-kinase in artery reactions induced by angiotensin II (ANG II) and the effects of ischemia-reperfusion injury as well as the function of intra- and extracellular calcium in these reactions. Experiments were performed on mesenteric superior arteries procured from cadaveric organ donors and conserved under the same conditions as transplanted kidneys. The vascular contraction in reaction to ANG II was measured in the presence of Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632, after ischemia and reperfusion, in Ca2+ and Ca2+-free solution. The maximal response to ANG II was reduced after ischemia, while an increase was observed after reperfusion. Vascular contraction induced by ANG II was decreased by Y-27632. Y-27632 reduced vascular contraction after reperfusion, both in Ca2+ and Ca2+-free solution. Reperfusion augments vascular contraction in reaction to ANG II. The Rho-kinase inhibitor Y-27632 reduces the hypersensitivity to ANG II after reperfusion mediated by both intra- and extracellular calcium. These results confirm the role of Rho-kinase in receptor-independent function of ANG II and in reperfusion-induced hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of hypotensive therapy with a diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (perindopril) on selected oxidative stress parameters in the blood of elderly patients with essential hypertension. 2. Studies were performed in 45 elderly patients with essential hypertension at baseline and after the 45th day of perindopril ( n = 25) or hydrochlorothiazide ( n = 20) therapy, as well as in 25 young and 25 elderly normotensive subjects. The following parameters were measured: systolic and diastolic blood pressure, nitric oxide (NO), carbonyl groups and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, as well as the activity of ceruloplasmin (Cp) oxidase, Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) and catalase (CAT). 3. The activity of SOD-1 and NO levels were reduced with age. 4. Compared with elderly controls, hypertensive subjects showed increases in baseline MDA, carbonyl group concentrations and Cp oxidase activity and decreases in NO levels and SOD-1 and CAT activities. 5. Treatment with perindopril, but not hydrochlorothiazide, resulted in significant increases in SOD-1 and CAT activities and decreases in MDA concentration and Cp oxidase activity. Both therapies decreased the level of carbonyl groups and increased NO levels. 6. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy has significant anti-oxidant effects that may be important in the treatment of elderly patients with essential hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]