Inhibitory mechanism of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine on acetylcholine-induced depressor responses in dogs.

The significance of the blood pressure elevation caused by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) to inhibitory mechanism of the drug on depressor responses to acetylcholine in anesthetized dogs was investigated. L-NNA (50 mg kg(-1), i.v.) elevated blood pressure to a plateau of 30-50 mm Hg above baseline level and shifted the dose-response curve for acetylcholine-induced responses to the right by about 70-fold. Prevention by hydralazine (1 mg kg(-1), i.v.) of the blood pressure elevation over baseline level caused by L-NNA attenuated the inhibitory effect of L-NNA on the responses to acetylcholine. Intravenous neostigmine (30 microg kg(-1) bolus followed by 15 microg kg(-1) min(-1)) attenuated the inhibitory effect of L-NNA. The magnitude of the rightward shift in the dose-response curve for carbachol-induced depressor responses was only 3-fold. These results suggest that the accelerated acetylcholine metabolism by blood pressure elevation contributes to a considerable degree to the inhibitory mechanism of L-NNA.