Enhancement of prostacyclin generation by cicletanine (an in vivo investigation).

The effect of cicletanine, an antihypertensive drug, was studied in two in vivo models. It was demonstrated that the drug markedly affected the response of intravenously administered arachidonic acid in the rabbit. In this model a marked increase of 6-oxo-PGF1 alpha was observed when challenged by the intravenous injection of 50 micrograms/kg b.w. of arachidonic acid. In the rat model used for the study of platelet-vessel wall interaction, it was demonstrated that the inhibition of prostacyclin synthetase could be offset by cicletanine. These results indicate that the drug modulates the generation of prostacyclin and as such is capable of affecting the peripheral resistances which determine the level of the blood pressure.