Jpn. J. Pharmacol. 76 (1), 51-56 (1998)


Pulmonary Edema Induced by Angiotensin I in Rats

Zhe-Hu Xu, Kazuro Shimakura, Takatsugu Yamamoto, Li-Man Wang and Satoru Mineshita

Department of Preventive Medicine, Division of Social Medicine, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113, Japan

Abstract: This study was performed to demonstrate an experimental procedure of pulmonary edema induced by angiotensin I (AT I) in rats and to elucidate the mechanism of hemodynamic pulmonary edema. In the previous pilot study, 20 microg/kg of AT I was found to be an adequate dose for inducing pulmonary edema. To elucidate the mechanism of AT I pulmonary edema and protective measures against it, we observed the effects of captopril (CAP, 5 and 10 mg/kg), an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; losartan (LOS, 10 mg/kg), an angiotensin II (AT II)-receptor antagonist; and phentolamine (PHE, 10 mg/kg), an alpha-adrenergic receptor blocker, on AT I-induced pulmonary edema in rats. Similarly, we also observed the effects of CAP (10 and 20 mg/kg) on pulmonary edema induced by 25 microg/kg of adrenaline (ADR) in rats. The development of AT I-induced pulmonary edema was significantly suppressed by CAP and LOS, but was unaffected by PHE. In contrast, the development of ADR-induced pulmonary edema was not suppressed by CAP. These results suggest that AT I-induced pulmonary edema is developed via the AT II and a specific AT II-receptor, without the indirect action of adrenaline.

Keywords: Pulmonary edema, Angiotensin I, Angiotensin converting enzyme, Losartan, Phentolamine


Copyright© The Japanese Pharmacological Society 1998

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