Endothelium-derived nitric oxide partially mediates salbutamol-induced vasodilatations

This study examined the ability of salbutamol (selective beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist) to cause endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortic rings and depressor response in conscious rats. Salbutamol (0.01-100 microM) concentration dependently relaxed preconstricted aortic rings. The relaxant response was partially attenuated by either mechanical removal of the endothelium or treatment with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 100 microM). In conscious rats, either i.v. infused phenylephrine (5 micrograms/kg per min) or i.v. bolus injected L-NAME (12.8 mg/kg), but not the vehicle, caused similar sustained increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP). I.v. infused salbutamol (2-128 micrograms/kg per min, each dose for 5 min) dose dependently decreased MAP in vehicle-treated rats; the depressor responses were potentiated by hypertension induced by phenylephrine. In contrast, the magnitudes of the depressor response to salbutamol in L-NAME-treated rats were less than those in rats pretreated with phenylephrine or the vehicle. I.v. bolus injections of salbutamol (0.25-16 micrograms/kg) also caused dose-dependent and transient decreases in MAP in vehicle-treated rats. The magnitude but not the duration of the depressor response to salbutamol was less in rats treated with L-NAME, compared to those in rats given phenylephrine or the vehicle. These results suggest that endothelium-derived nitric oxide is partially involved in beta 2-adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilatation.