Relation of L-arginine to airway hyperreactivity

The deficiency or the decrease in the bioavailability in basic substrate for nitric oxide synthesis - L-arginine can be one of factors contributing to the airway hyperreactivity. We studied the influence of L-arginine supplementation on the experimental airway hyperreactivity induced in guinea pigs by exposure to toluene vapours. L-arginine was administered before exposure in a dose of 300 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneally during 3 or 17 days. After that the airway reactivity changes to histamine or acetylcholine were studied in in vitro conditions. In addition to that the tissue strips from exposed animals were incubated with L-arginine in concentration 10(-4) mol/l. The administration of L-arginine during 3 days decreased the airway reactivity increased by irritant exposure. We recorded the decrease in the airway reactivity in animals with bronchial hyperreactivity after incubation of tissue strips with L-arginine, too. The pre-treatment of animals with L-arginine during 17 days did not affect the airway smooth muscle reactivity in larger extent. The exogenous administration of L-arginine resulted in a protective effect under the conditions of experimental airway hyperreactivity. The effect of supplementation was different depending on airway level and pre-treatment duration. The results refer to the importance of optimal L-arginine level for the control of bronchomotoric tone.