Comparison of vasoconstrictor actions of norepinephrine and potassium chloride before and after damage of endothelium by saponin.

Using isolated and perfused mesenteric arterial preparations of dogs, vasoconstrictor responses to intraluminal norepinephrine and potassium chloride were investigated in the presence and absence of the endothelium. Intraluminal administration of saponin readily removed the endothelium. Saponin (1-3 mg) caused an increase in perfusion pressure, and then approximately 20 min later perfusion pressure became stable at a somewhat higher level than that of the control. A larger dose of saponin (10 mg) caused a tremendous but temporary increase of perfusion pressure. KCl-induced vasoconstriction was significantly enhanced by pretreatment with 0.3, 1, and 3 mg saponin, but norepinephrine-induced constriction was not modified significantly. Moreover, it was demonstrated that diltiazem, a potent Ca antagonist, inhibited the KCl-induced vasoconstriction more readily in the absence than in the presence of the endothelium.