The effects of losartan and captopril on vasopressor actions of cirazoline in the absence and presence of SZL-49 and nifedipine.

The effects of the nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on pressor responses to the selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist cirazoline (10 ng/kg-3.0 mg/kg) in the pithed rat were compared. In addition, the effects of losartan and captopril on pressor responses to cirazoline were compared in the presence of the selective irreversible alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist SZL-49 (1-(4-amino-6,7-dimethoxy-2-quinazolinyl)-4-(2-bicyclo[2,2,2]octa-2,5- dienyl-carbonyl)-piperzine) and/or the Ca2+ channel antagonist nifedipine. Losartan (5.0 mg/kg) and captopril (3.0 mg/kg), as compared to saline, significantly lowered the blood pressure of intact, anaesthetized and pithed rats. Continuous infusion with vasopressin was used to restore the blood pressure of pithed rats pretreated with losartan or captopril to a level comparable to animals that had received saline. Losartan, captopril, nifedipine (1.0 mg/kg), and SZL-49 (10.0 mg/kg) antagonized the pressor actions of cirazoline, which displaced the dose-diastolic blood pressure response curve for the agonist to the right. Moreover, pressor responses to cirazoline were significantly reduced in rats that had received losartan and nifedipine in comparison to nifedipine alone. In contrast, in rats treated with nifedipine, further administration of captopril did not significantly reduce pressor responses to cirazoline as compared to nifedipine alone. Cirazoline-mediated pressor responses at all doses were significantly attenuated in rats treated with SZL-49 and either losartan or nifedipine combined as compared to SZL-49 alone. In contrast, only cirazoline-mediated pressor responses at lower doses were significantly reduced by pretreatment with a combination of SZL-49 and captopril as compared to SZL-49 alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)