Cardiovascular selectivity of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives, efonidipine (NZ-105), nicardipine and structure related compounds in isolated guinea-pig tissues.

1. The cardiovascular selectivities of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives, efonidipine (NZ-105), nicardipine, 3NZ5NIC (the drug with NZ-105-type side-chain at C3 position and nicardipine-type at C5) and 3NIC5NZ (the drug with nicardipine-type side chain at C3 and NZ-105-type at C5) were studied in vitro. 2. All four compounds caused relaxation of guinea-pig aortae precontracted with a high K+. The pEC50 values were 7.5, 8.3, 8.1 and 5.6, for NZ-105, nicardipine, 3NIC5NZ and 3NZ5NIC, respectively. The relaxation produced by NZ-105 was slower in onset than those produced by the other compounds. The rate constant K(hr-1) of the relaxations were 0.59, 1.31, 1.02 and 1.24, for NZ-105, nicardipine, 3NIC5NZ and 3NZ5NIC, respectively. 3. In the electrically paced guinea-pig papillary muscles, NZ-105, 3NIC5NZ and 3NZ5NIC, even at concentrations as high as 10(-6) M, slightly decreased the contractile force (by 44.9 +/- 7.1%, 58.6 +/- 5.4% and 52.2 +/- 3.9%, respectively), whereas 10(-6) M nicardipine decreased the force by 84.9 +/- 3.3%. The negative inotropic effect of NZ-105 and 3NIC5NZ, but not that of 3NZ5NIC or nicardipine, was over 10 times weaker than their vasorelaxant effect. 4. In the guinea-pig right atria, NZ-105 and nicardipine at 10(-8) M decreased the spontaneous contraction rate by 67.9 +/- 15.0% and 39.7 +/- 15.4%, respectively. 3NIC5NZ at 3 x 10(-9) M and 3NZ5NIC at 3 x 10(-8) M had little effect on the rate, whereas 10(-8) M 3NIC5NZ and 10(-7) M 3NZ5NIC arrested the beating within 3 hr after administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)