The calcium modulator nifedipine exerts its antiaggregatory property via a nitric oxide mediated process

The in vitro effect of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine (DHP) type, on platelet aggregation was reinvestigated considering especially the capability of platelets to form endogenous nitric oxide (NO). We studied the dose-dependent antiaggregatory property of nifedipine in porcine platelet rich plasma. Aggregation was stimulated by collagen (7.5 micrograms/ml). Nifedipine inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation with an IC50 of 380 nmol/l. The antiaggregatory effect of nifedipine could be significantly diminished by N-nitro-L-arginine (NNA) in a concentration dependent manner, whereas oxy haemoglobin (4 microM), a NO scavenger, totally abolished the effect of nifedipine. L-Arginine, the precursor of NO, dose-dependently inhibited the collagen-induced platelet aggregation but did not potentiate the effects of nifedipine. Therefore, we propose that in platelet rich plasma the nifedipine induced inhibition of platelet aggregation is mediated by NO, a potent endogenous inhibitor of aggregation. We could confirm this hypothesis by measuring NO directly with a specific electrode.