[New approaches to the study of the mechanism of action of nitrates].

The effects of nitrates on a Ca+2 increase and the content of cyclic nucleotides in human platelets were studied. Nitroglycerin (GTN), isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) and sodium nitroprusside (NP) were found to inhibit dose-dependently the intracellular Ca+2 increase induced by the platelet activating factor (PAF). The inhibiting effect of NP was at lower concentrations than those of GTN and ISDN. GTN calcium blocking action did not change significantly regardless of vasopressin, serotonin or PAF used as inducers of the intracellular Ca+2 increase. GTN suppressed the PAF provoked Mn+2 entering into the cells. NP and GTN induced increase of the cGMP content correlated with their calcium blocking activity. They did not augment the level of cAMP. Methylene blue (MB), a guanylate cyclase and glutathione reductase inhibitor, decreased the calcium blocking effect of GTN and its influence on the cGMP content but failed to suppress the inhibitory effect of NP. Ascorbic acid increased the calcium blocking effect of NP but did not influence the inhibitory effect of GTN. An increase in Ca+2 content induced by PAF in platelets from patients with chronic congestive heart failure was significantly higher in the group with dilatation cardiomyopathy. The effect of 10 mg of ISDN sublingually on forearm venous tone was higher in patients with initially elevated venous tone. There was a direct statistical correlation between the IC50 of GTN calcium blocking effects in platelets and the elevation of a forearm venous tone reaction from a statistic mean reaction to ISDN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)