Orally administered beraprost sodium inhibits pulmonary hypertension induced by monocrotaline in rats

Rats were fed on distilled water (DW) or DW containing beraprost sodium (BPS). BPS concentration was 1.5 or 3.0 mu/ml in DW for the low BPS groups and 6.0 or 10.0 mu/ml in DW for the high BPS group. Monocrotaline (MCT) was subcutaneously given (60 mg/kg), and saline was injected as control. Data were analyzed among the following groups; Groups (Saline + DW), (Saline + Low BPS), (MCT + DW), (MCT + Low BPS) and (MCT + High BPS). Three weeks later, pulmonary (Ppa) and systemic (Psa) arterial pressure were measured under anesthesia. MCT caused significant elevation of Ppa [18.3 +/- 0.6 cmH2O for Group (Saline + DW) vs. 27.2 +/- 1.2 cmH2O for Group (MCT + DW), p < 0.001, mean +/- S.E.] and Ppa was significantly and dose-dependently suppressed by BPS; Group (MCT + DW) vs. Groups (MCT + Low BPS), 23.4 +/- 0.7 cmH2O and (MCT + High BPS), 22.5 +/- 0.5 cmH2O, p < 0.05, mean +/- S.E.). Psa was not lowered dose-dependently by BPS. We conclude that oral beraprost sodium suppresses pulmonary hypertension produced by monocrotaline in rat.