Effects of parenteral treatment by nicergoline on the development of hypertension of S.H.R.

Six consanguine monogamous SHR couples (G 1) were treated from 5 weeks of age on with an alpha blocker, nicergoline, 100 mcg. kg-1 day-1 i.p. Male rats were treated without interruption; treatment was withheld in female rats from delivery to weaning. They were compared with six similar SHR couples who were only daily i.p. injected with the same volume of solvent in the same conditions, as controls. Second (G 2) and third (G 3) generation rats (untreated) were studied. In G 1 rats, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was decreased, and no change was found in heart rate (H R), heart weight to body weight ratio (HW/BW), hypothalamic and bulbar noradrenaline content (HNA,BNA). In G 2 rats, SBP, BNA and plasma renin activity were significantly decreased, all other parameters being unchanged. No parameter change was observed in G 3 rats. We think that such long acting effects after antenatal treatment could only be due to an action on the origin of the SHR hypertension.