Ketanserin decreases sympathetic nervous activity in hypertension

This study was performed to investigate whether ketanserin (a serotonergic receptor antagonist) might affect the sympathetic nerve activity in resistance vessels of hypertension. Isolated perfused mesenteric vasculatures were prepared from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRS, Okamoto and Aoki, 20-22 weeks old) and age-matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY), and effects of ketanserin on norepinephrine overflow from the adrenergic nerve endings as well as on vascular responsiveness were examined. Pressor responses to electrical nerve stimulation or exogenous norepinephrine were inhibited by ketanserin, in a dose-dependent manner. Norepinephrine overflow during electrical nerve stimulation was also suppressed by ketanserin. Inhibitory degrees of pressor responses and norepinephrine overflow during electrical nerve stimulation by ketanserin were significantly greater in SHRs than those in WKY rats. These results suggest that ketanserin could affect presynaptic neurotransmitter release from the adrenergic nerve endings in resistance vessels. These sympatho-depressive actions might contribute, at least partially, to the hypotensive mechanisms of ketanserin.