Dilating effect of perivascularly applied potassium channel openers cromakalim and pinacidil in rat and cat pial arteries in situ.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to test the vasodilator effect of perivascularly applied potassium channel openers cromakalim and pinacidil in pial arteries of cat and rat.

METHODS

Using an open cranial window technique the diameter of pial arteries in the parietal cortex of rat and cat was recorded with an image splitting method. Employing micropuncture techniques, test compounds were dissolved in inert cerebrospinal fluid and infused into the perivascular space of individual arteries.

RESULTS

Cromakalim (7 x 10(-18)-7 x 10(-13) M) induced concentration dependent dilatation of feline pial arteries with a maximum effect of 26.8(SEM 3.2)% at 7 x 10(-15) M. In rat arteries, cromakalim had a maximum effect of 32.1(4.97)% at 10(-15) M, while pinacidil (10(-10)-10(7) M) exerted a maximum dilatation of 29.5(3.3)% at 10(-8) M. The latter is consistent with previous findings in feline pial arteries. The sulphonylurea glibenclamide (10(-8)-10(-6) M) had no effect on the resting diameter of rat and cat pial arteries, indicating that their resting tone is not influenced by mechanisms involving ATP sensitive potassium channels. However, glibenclamide reduced the dilating effect of cromakalim and pinacidil in rat and cat in a dose dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

A comparison with previously published data obtained in isolated middle cerebral and basilar arteries showed that potassium channel openers of the benzopyrane and cyanoguanidine type are much more potent in pial arteries than in peripheral arteries in situ or in isolated arteries of the circle of Willis and of peripheral vascular beds.