[Bosentan attenuates the hypertensive effect of angiotensin II in rats]

The influence of nonspecific blockade of endothelin receptors by bosentan (30 mg/kg per day, gavage) was assessed on hypertension induced by infusion of angiotensin II (AngII 200 ng/kg/min sc for 10 days) in rats. Tail-cuff pressure was measured before and every second day of AngII-infusion period. At the end of experiments, mean arterial pressure (MAP, mmHg), cardiac output (CO ml/min/kg body weight) and renal blood flow (RBF ml/min/g kidney weight) were determined (microspheres technique) in conscious rats, and total peripheral and renal vascular resistances were calculated (TPR = MAP/CO and RVR = MAP/RBF). [table: see text] Tail-cuff pressure increased from 126 +/- 4 to 164 +/- 8 mmHg in rats infused with AngII alone whereas it did not change (basal: 132 +/- 3 and final: 135 +/- 3 mmHg: p = NS) when bosentan was coadministered with AngII. At the end of study in conscious rats, the AngII-induced rise in MAP was accompanied by a reduction in CO and RBF and a marked increased in TPR and RVR. In AngII-perfused rats, CO, RBF, TPR and RVR were restored by bosentan to values observed in untreated rats. These results indicate that blockade of endothelin A and B receptors by bosentan prevents the development of AngII-induced hypertension through attenuation of the effect of AngII on vascular tone and suggest that endothelin is an important mediator of the vasoconstrictor action of angiotensin II in rats.