Effect of hydralazine on tension and membrane potential in the rat caudal artery.

To determine whether the vasodilator, hydralazine (HYD), produces hyperpolarization of vascular muscle cells, we measured the effect of HYD on membrane potential and contractile responses to phenylephrine and K+. HYD (1 microM) caused a 4 mV hyperpolarization of phenylephrine-depolarized arteries (compared with controls without HYD), which could possibly account for up to three-fourths of the 39% decrease in tension measured. K+-contracted vessels were also 34% relaxed by 1 microM HYD without an effect on membrane potential. In addition, HYD further relaxed phenylephrine-stimulated vessels previously relaxed by D-600, suggesting that Ca++ channel blockade may not be an important mechanism of vasodilation for HYD. The evidence suggests that a nonmembrane action of HYD on arterial muscle probably multiplies the relaxant effect of membrane potential hyperpolarization. Both mechanisms would attenuate the effects of adrenergic stimulation.