Preclinical pharmacology of saralasin.

Saralasin is a highly soluble and stable AII antagonist with a relatively short half-life; therefore, its effects are rapidly reversible when administered i.v. Acute and subacute studies have shown only transient toxicosis with no significant pathology or teratology. Saralasin's angiotensin receptor affinity has been correlated with its biologic acitivity. Observations from the pharmacodynamic investigations have shown that saralasin is a specific competitive antagonist of the vascular, renal, adrenal, cardiac, and central nervous system actions of AII. In addition, these studies further support the utility of saralasin as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent for patients whose hypertension is due directly to AII.