Chronic effects of synthetic endothelin on blood pressure and sodium excretion in rats

Continuous infusion of endothelin at a rate of 60 micrograms/kg/day into the jugular vein of rats via osmotic minipumps induced a significant increase in systolic blood pressure, but did not induce any significant changes in urine volume and urinary sodium excretion, compared to those in vehicle-infused rats. When 6 mg/kg/day of benidipine, a newly developed calcium channel blocker, was administered simultaneously with 60 micrograms/kg/day of endothelin, the systolic blood pressure of conscious rats rose on Day 1 to only 137.0 +/- 2.4 mm Hg (P less than .05) compared to the rise to 163.8 +/- 4.7 mm Hg when endothelin alone was infused. The antihypertensive effect of benidipine was sustained. The present results suggest that endothelin can act as a circulating hormone. In addition, they clearly demonstrate that the calcium channel blocker attenuates the elevation of blood pressure induced by endothelin.