Enhancement of PGI2 formation by a new vasodilator, 2-nicotinamidoethyl nitrate in the coupled system of platelets and aortic microsomes.

Exogenous arachidonate addition to the coupled system of platelets and aortic microsomes resulted in production of TXA2 and PGI2 (detected as the stable degradation products, TXB2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha, respectively). Imidazole, papaverine and dipyridamole increased PGI2 and decreased TXA2 in the coupled system. All of these agents inhibited TXA2 formation by platelets from arachidonate. Nitroglycerin did not show any effect on PGI2 and TXA2 formation in the coupled system and on TXA2 formation by platelets. In contrast with these compounds, in spite of showing no inhibitory effect on TXA2 formation by platelets alone, 2-nicotinamidoethyl nitrate (SG-75) increased PGI2 and decreased TXA2 in the coupled system. It is suggested that SG-75 accelerated the conversion of PGH2 to PGI2 so that smaller amounts of TXA2 was produced in the coupled system.