Comparison of the inhibitory effects of nicorandil, nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate on vascular smooth muscle of rabbit aorta.

The inhibitory effects of nicorandil, nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate on the contractions induced by 10(-6) M norepinephrine or by 65.4 mM K+ were compared in the vascular smooth muscle of rabbit aorta. These compounds relatively selectively inhibited the contraction induced by norepinephrine. Norepinephrine induced a sustained contraction in the aorta depolarized with high K+ and treated with 10(-6) M verapamil, and this contraction was also inhibited by these compounds. The increase in Ca2+ influx induced by norepinephrine, but not by high K+, was inhibited by the three compounds. The norepinephrine-induced transient contraction, which is due to release of stored Ca2+, was inhibited by these compounds. The inhibitory effects of nicorandil and nitroglycerin on this contraction were attenuated by high-K+ depolarization. Methylene blue (10(-5) M) antagonized and M&B 22948 (10(-5) M) potentiated the inhibitory effects of these compounds. These results suggest that nicorandil, nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate have a similar mechanism of action. These compounds inhibit the norepinephrine-induced sustained contraction possibly by inhibiting the Ca2+ influx through receptor-linked Ca2+ channels, and inhibit the transient contraction by membrane hyperpolarization and also by direct inhibition of Ca2+ release although other mechanism of action may also be involved.